Pearls On The Wind
by Kid Lanterns Legacy
Summary: "So let me get this straight; you not only hired a controversial hunter as a newly minted and inexperienced teacher, but you also enrolled a dustcaster with an unstable casting style, Atlas' human WMD and a weaponized robot girl? Ozpin, are you TRYING to get fired!" "To be fair, I didn't know about the robot girl..."
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One:**

 **The Stirring Breeze**

A thunderous crash echoed throughout the dense forest, preluded by the shattering snaps of thick wood as a massive tree fell past the shafts of its siblings. The sharp echo quickly traveled deep past massive trees and bushes, followed shortly by a cloud of wood and dirt kicked up by the tree's impact. The barking echo subsided into a low rumble, then to a quiet murmur, slowly giving way to the quiet creeks and natural sounds of the thick woodlands once again. The quiet chirps and barks of its inhabitants, the small groans and cracks of trees swaying in the wind, and the gentlest brush of wind tickling the grass and leaves across the canopy soon continued anew after the sharp interruption to their melody.

The forest itself was populated by massive trees, with trunks thick as an Ursa and tall as the highest buildings in Atlas. Their deep, brown bark permeated the foreseeable distance of the forest, cutting off a decent portion of daylight from all sides, save for the light that passed through the tall canopy above. The sun's light sent rays passed the tall foliage, lighting up scattered portions of the otherwise shaded woodlands. There was one tree nearby, however, that had been the cause of the sharp, echoing interruption to its serenity.

It lay across an open space, its massive frame and length having sunk into the earth where its collision took place; pieces of shattered bark and dirt spread out from its body, clouds of dust still dissipating from the impact. At the base of its sturdy trunk, where it was separated from the rooted stump, their surfaces mimicking the other in an unnaturally strange fashion; the cut surface was unnaturally flat, without the barest hint of splintered or separated wood. Even if one were to run their hands across its surface, no matter the speed or pressure, no splinter would result.

"As always…"

Across the top side of the downed tree, a tall figure walked down the trunk's length, surveying the damage on either side. The rhythmic sound of boots on wood sounded without a hitch in its pattern, though the surrounding echoes denied it from sounding past the clearing. On the shoulders of a worn, light grey jacket, a straight, single-edged-blade rested comfortable between neck and collarbone. Slowly, fluidly, and without warning or effort, it was lifted from the shoulder, the whine of a small turbine steadily increasing as it came to life. Fingers gently squeezed a lever on the blade's handle, causing the whine to quickly jump in volume and pitch. Air swirled and condensed around the white box between the blade and handle, flowing into side vents before it began circulating. With the blade raised high, it was brought swiftly down and across the surface just as another boot finished its step, the tip of the blade barely even touching the woods surface before it finished its arc.

There was a burst of air, the whine quickly died down, and the figure continued his steps in the same stead rhythm as before, walking past the point he swung. Continuing for a few more steps, he yet again squeezed the blade's lever, causing the whine to increase before he swung downward for a second time, resulting in another burst of compressed air. He continued across the surface like this for a while, methodically swinging after every several steps until he reached the first of the massive tree's branches, which quickly disappeared in the thick foliage of the redwood. He stopped there, looking past all the branches and leaves that would eventually need to be shaved from the surface. Behind the figure, at each section where the blade was swung, there was the barest hint of separation between each section, resulting in multiple severed pieces of thick, circular trunk.

With a deep sigh, a free hand ran through cerulean locks of hair, and with closed eyes he faced up past the forest canopy and into the warmth of the falling sunlight. The rays illuminated a sharp face, his jawline covered in a thin five o'clock shadow, giving the appearance of a man in his mid-20's. His expression was of amusement, eyebrows baring the tiniest hint of annoyance.

"…the job always gets messy toward the end."

With a deep breath, Regis Keller hefted his blade, squeezing the handle lever harder than ever. The low whine skyrocketed in volume, causing a torrent of violent wind to pull and twist around the engine box, circulating in and through the device as the turbine condensed and directed the inrushing hurricane of air. Brow furrowing in concentration, the woodsman took hold of his tool with both hands, setting his stance as he prepared to cut through the thick brush. Of wood and foliage. His eyes cracked open, revealing their deep, velvet hue.

"Let's try to get this in one stroke for once…"

Shifting his feet to cement his stance, Regis braced himself as he lowered the blade to his side and swung forward…

V_V_V_V_V_V_V_V_V_V_V_V_V_V_V

The village gates opened inward before him. The sound and smell of wood and metal creaking open brought a smile to his lips; it was a sound of welcoming, and a smell that reminded him of home. From behind he could hear the grunts and footfalls of the men who came to pick up the massive sections of the tree he fell recently. Keeping each circular piece upright, they were able to roll each section back to the village rather quickly. With several men and women on each side in case it tipped over on them, the workers were able to wheel the majority of the tree's pieces back home without incident.

Smiling to himself, Regis turned back toward the group and the opening in the tree line behind them. Deep into the woods there was an open expanse where the trees had once been, though now there were only the remains the upturned earth where the stumps used to be, which were quickly being smoothed out to flatten the land into a makeshift trail; it would make travel and shipment of supplies much easier. A similar opening lay on the opposite side of the village and clearing, where the tree line opened up to a previously made trail.

The smile on Regis' lips grew as they entered the town, the main gate now open wide enough for the group to roll in their recently acquired supplies. With the sheer amount of wood gathered from the massive trees, an excess of supplies was building up that was getting harder for the village to store. It wouldn't be long before the extra wood would be delivered back to the previous expansion villages for use as firewood, defenses, furniture, and many other accessories to either help in the expansion effort or to sell back in the major cities.

The cerulean haired man waited in front of the gate as the other townsfolk passed him by, their massive sections of wood wheeling by carefully, so as not to drop its weight onto one side. Even with the sweat and grim of the task coating their faces, Regis could see the tenacious smiles on each of their eager expressions. The work was steady and they were clearing about 2 massive trees per day from the trail they were forging; it was a sign of progress without any hitch.

" _That is to say, without any hitch outside of the average Grim attacks on the movers or villagers,"_ Regis thought to himself, focusing back toward the forest edge. He knew that deep in the forest, or any region that humanity struck out toward, the Grim would always be there, ready to prey on the defenseless or ill prepared. Without restraint or fatigue, the monsters would descend upon them without as much as a warning if they weren't careful.

Even if there was a good distance between the forest edge and the village, he still made sure to stand ready in case of an attack. It was only due to that sheer diligence, and the diligence of the hunters and huntresses accompanying these trailblazers, that very little losses had occurred so far. It also did a good job of keeping everyone's spirits high, which helped just as much when avoiding encounters with the creatures of Grim.

As the last group of wood rollers passed through entrance, Regis turned and swiftly strolled inside as the large gate began to close. With the large doors closing behind him now, a cry shot out from the top of the massive walls around the gate. Atop one of the watch towers, a guard waved down and shouted jubilantly.

"Welcome back, Mr. Keller! What's the word on today's second drop?"

"Hey Jason! Just a little bigger than the usual, if my guess is right!" Regis called upward, having sheathed his blade in the scabbard around his lower back. "We can probably get seven or eight more tables than usual carved out, if my guess is right! We might even have enough to start building the second wall!"

"Good to hear!" Jason's expression held toothy grin as he continued. "Also, it looks like you've got a visitor from Vale or Atlas! A bullhead just flew in a few hours ago, and it sounds like someone's been waiting to talk to you!"

Regis paused at that. It was true that he heard the faintest echoes of a bullheads engines in the distance not too long ago, though he had assumed it was another supply shipment. Even with the huntsmen guarding supply shipments across the trails between the expansion towns, they still needed supplies like metal, concrete, and Dust to be flown in on occasion. It would be a while before the villages could set out and begin searching for resource deposits safely, with the exception of the 1st and 2nd village; they were relatively ready to become self-reliant in half a year's time, if all went well.

But there was apparently a visitor from one of the haven cities that wanted a word with him. Which was weird, because he had just spoken with General Ironwood not too long ago with a status update.

"Huh," came his reply, scratching his chin curiously. "Hey thanks for the heads up! Did they say what they wanted?"

"Nope! Just got word from some of the other guards, sir! Just someone who wants to speak with you; couldn't tell you who, though!"

"Alrighty, thanks!" Regis turned and waved back at the guard. "Keep up a good vigil! The other scouting parties should be back soon!"

"You got it, sir!"

With that, Regis made his way around the village; whoever was waiting for him, they could wait until he was finished checking up on the rest of the establishment. Passing by the wood rollers, he gave them a quick thumbs up as they made their way toward the storage area. From there, he took a quick stroll through the rest of the town, making sure to stop by and check up on the essentials; the new refrigeration unit at the butchers, metal and dust stores at the forges, the guards and any suspicious activity they may have seen, etc. Each time the gray-clad man made a check in, he made sure to spend time and catch up with some of the people he knew around town. He had to make sure everything was in shape several times a week, that way he could take note and plan to fix it.

Soft grass and flattened dirt soon gave way to concrete the closer his journey took him toward the center of town. Regis took note of the sound freshly cooked meat was making as it sizzled and the fog of sawdust as it floated out from the two storied sawmill. The 'clang' of a hammer against metal and the 'crack' of dust cartridges going off on the target range swirled together with the busy sounds of every villager going about their daily routine. The buildings themselves ranged from sturdy wooden houses to impenetrable bunkers of steel and iron, along with everything else in-between. It was a town in the throes of change, from an established colony to a modernized town, and he took every ounce of pride in it.

He wasn't the town leader by any means, but this village was the most recent in the settlements created under the Expansion. It was his responsibility to make sure that all aspects, even the previously established and maintained villages, were running smoothly. This is why Regis thanked whatever god existed out there that digital communication technology existed; it meant he could check up on all the settlements and their ongoing shipments without having to physically visit them.

They were so close now, and he didn't want any hiccups. Just nine more months at this pace…

V_V_V_V_V_V_V_V_V_V_V_V_V_V_V

An hour or so later, Regis finished his rounds on the village, ending his quick journey at the Trade Center HQ; a large, 3 story building settled fairly close to the center of the town. The unique center served as the processing building for trade goods and supplies, the guard barracks and training grounds, and the central communication center. As such, steel and concrete were necessities in its construction, along with more modern dust-powered weaponry in case of an incursion. They couldn't afford for this building to fall so easily to the Grim if all else failed. Strolling closer, he took notice of the bullhead the guard mentioned before in the landing field. It was on the furthest end of the field, separate from the other bullheads that were currently unloading supplies from Mistral, no doubt spices and other gestures of good will.

Moving closer, the cerulean haired woodsman analyzed the craft for any details of affiliation. As soon as he recognized the symbol on the side of its hull, he stopped dead in his tracks. They held the famous crossing axes surrounded by a wreath; whoever wanted to meet with him, they were obviously from Vale's Beacon Academy, and there was only one person who would travel the distance to surprise him with an unannounced visit. For that very reason, a chill ran up his spine, a product of instinct telling him that his life was going to become incredibly complicated, or incredibly dangerous.

Possibly both. The two weren't mutually exclusive when _that_ man…

Taking in a deep breath, Regis steeled himself for whatever headache was waiting him inside. He trudged forward, passing by one of the guards who was leaving the building, catching the open door as he passed inside. It was always nice to feel the steel surface against his hands; its solid build and unbendable frame the evidence of the strength and dedication of the smiths who forged it. Stepping past the door frame and into the Headquarters, cool conditioned air swept across his skin, quickly dissipating the sweat and heat of the day's work.

The smell of metal, electricity, and coffee assaulted his senses as he glanced around the facility's main lobby. The smell of coffee, in particular, was a familiar one; rich and with a hint of Vacuo nutmeg that was rarely ever ordered or delivered out of the stronghold cities, especially here. He knew that smell, all but confirming his suspicions about his visitor as he strolled in and paused in front of the main desk. Down the hallway past the main desk, the faint sound of excited conversation could be heard. The secretary, a brown haired guardsman of average build, looked up from the computer he was currently working on at the woodsman's presence.

"Oh hey, Mr. Keller!" The secretary immediately recognized Regis upon his entrance, nodding with a smile. "You have great timing. There's someone from Vale to see you."

"I figured as much," Regis returned the smile, "I heard from Jason on the south wall that they flew in a few hours ago. I hope they weren't waiting long?"

"Not really. The Captain has been filling them in on what's been going on in the village recently." The secretary shrugged. "And you know how he gets all excited when discussing the town's success, so I'm pretty sure that there isn't an excess of boredom."

"Well that's good to know. Still, I might as well save the Captain before he runs out of things to brag about. Where can I find them?"

The guardsman pointed him down the hall and toward the breakroom. Saying his thanks, Regis made his way across the short distance, the sounds of excited bragging became more audible as he neared the door. He could almost imagine the guard captain waving out his arms excitedly as he described a recently enforced section of the town's wall. With a knock and a twist of the knob as he opened the door, the almost bombastic sounds came to an abrupt halt as the room's two occupants turned toward their new guest. The Captain looked surprised, his bushy greying moustache betraying his age on an otherwise young face. His calloused hands were half raised in previous excitement, having been lowered to the surprise entrance. With a realization and a nod, the Captain motioned a hand toward Regis respectfully, his face lighting up on sight.

"Ah, good! You made it, Regis! I was getting ready to send someone out for you." His voice was jovial and somewhat gritted, though not heavy with the age or wear like certain other bombastic, mustached leaders he knew.

"Captain, always a pleasure," Regis nodded in reply, a friendly grin on his lips. He then set his sights on the room's second occupant; the one currently sitting down comfortably in a chair, leaning back with his hands folded gently on the table. Immediately next to his hands was a warm mug of coffee, and resting against the side of his chair was a well-crafted walking cane. Silver hued bangs fell just above the tinted glasses that concealed gentle, yet fiercely intelligent brown eyes.

"Mr. Keller." He spoke with a patient, soothing voice.

"Ozpin." Regis' grin fell to a respectful smile.

"I must admit, I'm impressed with the state of the Expansion so far." Ozpin continued on with a calm smile. "The Captain has been filling me in on the progress of this post, as well as the strides the previous few villages were making toward industrialization."

"Same here, it's always great to see a vision take root." Regis allowed himself a small grin of pride. "You came at a pretty good time; just finished my last excursion for the day, so I'm free to chat."

"Ah, that's good then. I hoped you were available to meet; this is a little short notice after all."

" _Short notice is right."_ Regis thought to himself as he replied, "Well, it must have been important if you needed to speak with me right away, so I can hardly blame you, can I?" With a nod, he turned to the Captain.

"Thanks for keeping Ozpin company until I got back, sir. There's some private issues we'll need to discuss, so if it isn't too much trouble…"

"Not at all! I've nearly talked myself to death about current affairs, as it were, so I'll take my leave for now. Just let me know if either of you need anything."

With one more parting salute, the Captain turned and left the room, gracefully closing the door behind him on the way out. The cerulean haired man couldn't help but chuckle at his exit; the current defense leader was always a wellspring of energy and flourishing stories. It was almost as if he were working with Port…if Port was a little less self-indulgent or bragging in his stories.

Pulling out a chair, the blue haired man sat down, shifting the tool hanging across his lower back so it wouldn't be in the way. He leaned back, crossed his arms, put one leg across the other, and gave the silver haired man a raised eyebrow in amusement. Though still curious and partly worried about what Ozpin was here for, there was no doubt it was still good to see Beacon's headmaster after so long. For a moment, they just sat there; Ozpin looking at him with a pleasant expression, and him looking at Ozpin with a sly gleam in his eyes. The clock on the wall ticked diligently in the background, counting each second of shared silence as the two men gauged each other on where to start…

"'I hoped you were available'? Really Ozpin? We all know you have an unnatural sense of good timing. I'm still betting that your Semblance is precognition or something." Regis broke the silence with a mirthful tone.

"It's amazing how everyone keeps telling me that, truly. Whether it's supernatural or years of experience, I couldn't tell you; even I'm surprised with how often my decisions result in a pleasant convenience."

"Hmm, it could be something in the coffee you're always drinking. Speaking of, I've never gotten the chance to ask you what kind of blend you drink. I don't think I've had it before, judging by its smell…maybe something Oobleck made?"

"Ah," there was a twinkle in Ozpin's eye. "Now that IS a secret, I'm afraid. One that I shall take to my grave, if I can manage. Besides, I always thought you never cared for coffee?"

"Meh, I'll drink it if it's free, but it's nothing I need to spend money on. The aroma just baffles me, though. I can't pinpoint some of its ingredients, and you know how I pride myself on my smell." Shaking his head, Regis let out a small chuckle, which his silver haired compatriot mimicked mirthfully.

"Oh, believe me I know. I remember when I first met you, saying you could smell a Beowolfe from a mile away. I honestly took you for one of those woodsmen who over-blew their own skills. Imagine my surprise when you tracked them down even further away." He shook his head almost disbelievingly, the mirthful smile never leaving his lips. "It truly is good to see you doing so well, old friend"

"Like wise, Ozpin. Though I wonder, what prompted the sudden drop in on my lovely village? The Council isn't trying to stick their hands into the operation again, is it? We've got around a year to go before we hit the main milestone…" Worry seeped in his tone toward the end as he spoke. He knew that the council could be pains in the ass at times, but if there was something that they could use to damper the Expansion _now_ of all times, it could very well disrupt his life's work…

"You'll be happy to know that's not the case, I assure you. In fact, the Council has nothing to do with why I'm here." Ozpin held up a hand, placating such worries with an amused smile.

At his reassurance, Regis let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. Last time the Council tried to mess with the project, it nearly ended in a political disaster, even with the Expansion's support and initial success. It was only due to his own tenacity and Ozpin's political maneuvering that they were able to keep the situation from shutting the whole thing down. He didn't want to go through something like that again. With warm relief filling his chest, all thoughts of worry scattered while a giddy smile spread across his face.

"Holy shit, thank you! I was worried that the momentum we gained out here was getting beuro-blocked again. So with that out of the way, what's really up? Oh, and now that I think about it…" Regis tilts his back to look at the door to the breakroom door. "Where's Glynda? She usually sticks to you like glue, so I was sure I'd see her today."

"That's part of the reason why I'm here, actually." His smile lessened as he became serious, sighing tiredly. "The truth is I wanted to hold off until a more important matter came up, but as you say, my impeccable timing is forcing my hand on this issue. Several issues, to be precise."

"I see," Regis spoke with a guarded tone, unsure what Ozpin was getting at.

Brown and blue eyes locked gazes for a single moment. The stare he received wasn't filled with the understanding warmth it usually held, but it wasn't exactly malevolent either.

"I'm calling in that old favor you owe me; I want you to come work for me as an instructor at Beacon."

There was a pregnant pause after his declaration. Neither he nor Regis seemed to react in the slightest, but kept their eyes locked on the other. Moments ticked by with the arms of the clock, the only sound to break the dead silence that spread out across the room like a silent fog. Eventually, after being immersed in the mute void for nearly a minute, Regis slowly allowed himself to blink, his eyes narrowing slightly as they opened again.

"You…want me…to become an instructor at Beacon?" His voice was quiet and even, betraying nothing of how he felt.

"Yes." Ozpin's voice was even as well, retaining its perpetually calm tone that betrayed even less.

The deep hush returned to the room for a moment or two, filling every nook and crevice with utter, earth shattering silence.

Until Regis snorted.

Then he chuckled.

Then he laughed.

Then he began to roar hysterically, pushing back against his seat and tipping it onto its back legs, just barely keeping the woodsman from bowling over backwards in uncontrolled laughter. With a hand over his face and an arm around his stomach, laughter filled the room where silence once reigned. The laughing slowed down to mere chuckles after a while, once Regis regained a semblance of his composure. Leaning the chair back down onto four legs, he leaned forward gasping for air and trying to steady himself. Wiping away tears, he began to reply.

"That…ah…that has to be…the best damn joke I've ever heard from you, Ozpin! Seriously, me, a teacher?! HAH! Even if you were serious, the fact that you're calling in 'THAT' favor just to get me to be one…" His body shook with a few more chuckles before continuing. "Sorry, sorry. I'm just not used to this from you. You're usually not so…blatantly….funny…"

The words died on his lips as he looked back into Ozpin's eyes, who stared at him as impassively as he had been before. Ozpin's expression held no mirth, but a soft yet deadly serious gaze that spoke volumes of his intentions and truth. Stunned back into silence as he was, Regis began to contemplate exactly what was going on. First came his confusion, then disbelief, then a multitude of thoughts and ideas as to why his friend would call on him in such a way.

"Ok," he continued in a more sober manner. "No joke. Got it. You actually want me to be an instructor?"

"That is correct." Ozpin nodded to confirm.

"And because you're calling in that favor," Regis continued, eyes narrowing further as an uncomfortable thought settled in his mind, "I'm going to take a wild guess that I won't be able to wait until we hit the first major milestone here, will I? You want me to start as soon as the next school year?"

" _Which was"_ , he noted, _"around the damn corner? Just under TWO MONTHS from now?"_

There was a short pause as they again stared each other down in silence. Regis felt the tension build in the atmosphere as the feeling of indignation build in his chest, only amplified by Ozpin's lack of an immediate response. He knew the headmaster could feel it as well, especially once the subtle, unnatural breeze began to pick up in the room.

Finally breaking the silent stare-off after a few moments, Ozpin took a sip of his coffee, staring down at the contents of the mug with the barest hint of guilt in his expression.

"The issues I am facing at the moment require all the help I can get, especially from you, Regis. I'm sorry about how sudden this is…"

Regis felt his stomach tightened up as his body stiffened, fingers clamping down on his folded arms with a strength that surprised himself. For a moment, rational thought left him, replaced with razor sharp, indignant anger at such a proposal. Ozpin was asking him to drop everything he was doing with the Expansion to become a teacher at the academy. His friend, his alley, the man who helped him get the Expansion off of the ground, was asking him to drop it all during the most crucial, most important, most….personal stage of the plan.

The subtle wind from before began to pick up more, turning into a disruptive, circulating breeze around the entire room. Napkins from the counter flipped up, some of them even flying off of the stack and across the room. It took considerable effort for Regis to keep his expression from turning into a scowl; his emotions wanted to show his displeasure, his indignation, his absolute anger at Ozpin even SUGGESTING the idea. His heart stirred with a torrent of emotions, but was kept in check by one cold fact.

Ozpin knew Regis. Regis new Ozpin.

Ozpin understood, more than anyone, why the Expansion was so important; it was essentially his life's work and goal, a means to an end, the Magnum Opus of his life. Regis understood that Ozpin was a man in a difficult position, but one who never threw others under the bus; the man would never have called on his favor at such a crucial time if it wasn't absolutely and immediately concerning. Admittedly, Regis didn't know EVERYTHING about Ozpin, since he was too damn good at keeping secrets; but he was most assuredly NOT a tool for Ozpin to use and throw away; even without his skills and usefulness, they were allies, and Regis trusted him more than anyone else.

The wind died down, disappearing all together before Regis lifted a hand and rubbed his eyes tiredly, his cheery nature having dissolved into a worn and withered expression.

"Sorry about that…you can understand why this has me exasperated, right?"

"I do," Ozpin nodded sympathetically. "Like I said, I wouldn't call in this favor unless I had little other option."

"No, no…I get it. Things must have gotten bad if you're asking me to drop my life's work."

"Well…not exactly," he replied with a sheepish expression. "I should have been clearer, I suppose; I don't intend to force you to drop everything here."

Regis perked up at that statement, his eyes widening in response.

"I'll need your help for this upcoming year, of course, and you'll have to leave the 'frontlines' as it were, but only until you absolutely need to return. I'll even provide transportation so you can come back and forth between here and the school when you need to personally update yourself on how progress is being made, not to mention 24/7 open communications for updates and alerts."

Blinking rapidly in response, the cerulean haired man continued to stare with surprise evident in his expression. The headmaster allowed an amused smirk to grace his lips, lifting his mug to take another sip of the rich brew that lay nestled within.

"I put a lot of stock into this operation, in case you forgot, including you as the chief overseer. You may only be able to visit every other week or so, but I'm just as invested in the Expansion as you are. I refuse to let it become vulnerable so easily."

"Well," Regis said as he raised an eyebrow, his expression turning comically skeptical. "It's not ideal, but that's MUCH better than what I had assumed from your attitude. Why didn't you say so sooner?"

"Your reaction would have been the same, I suppose, if I wasn't straight forward from the start."

"Alright, good point…" Rubbing his eyes again, Regis continued. "Alright, I can't really refuse if you're calling in that debt, but what's going on? What the hell's gotten you this on edge?"

"Well…"

Ozpin placed his mug on the table, leaning forward to prop both his elbows on its metallic surface and lace his hands together. His steely gaze was back, and from what Regis knew of Ozpin's infamously ever-present mug, putting it down meant that business was about to get very serious. He leaned in as well, knowing that anything said would be confidential and needed to remain as discreet as possible.

"On the surface, I'm short on experienced hunters for professors. With a lot of the active hunters putting their effort into this operation, it's hard to come by ones who would be qualified enough to teach at Beacon. Even though you have no formal training as a professor, you have years of life-or-death experiences to more than make up for that. You'll be able to provide a solid foundation for survival to these students."

"Geez, Ozpin," Regis scratched his head sheepishly. "You give me WAY too much credit. Hell, I doubt I'd know what my first lesson would even be, let alone a whole subject."

"You'll figure it out, I'm sure. You adapt well, and you'll have other teachers to help you on the right track. However, a more important matter is the heightened activity of the White Fang recently." Age began to show in Ozpin's expression as his eyes closed.

"I fear they may have set their sights on Vale."

"Shit," Regis spat, his gaze turning into a hateful glare. "That's not good at all. Those masked bastards tried to take some supplies from our weakest outpost a few months back; we ran them off, but…some good people lost their lives in the raid."

"Agreed." Ozpin felt sympathy leak into his voice as he watched Regis. His feelings toward the present day White Fang were as strong as ever. "We believe they might be trying to carry out a similar operation in Vale, based on some recent Dust raids, but we don't have enough info to be sure. It's more of a hunch, but…"

"Your gut is rarely wrong." His eyes continuing to burn with an intense anger as he finished for Ozpin, nodding stiffly in acknowledgement.

"Indeed. We also have a contact who believes that a special interest figure might be involved with backing their operations. More than likely, they would have their own agenda they're using the White Fang to achieve…but that's all we can gather so far. I'll need your help in keeping an eye out for any activity that may take place in Vale. Beyond that, you can help by keeping your eyes and ears open, as well as moving confidential information around when needed."

"So an errand boy?" Regis' expression had softened, though it switched from anger to annoyance. "Seems a little much to be piling up on me. I'll have to do some juggling…but I think I can manage it."

"Glynda will help you where she can, as well as Doctor Oobleck when he's available. He's been meaning to get back in touch with you."

"Heh, still can't believe you roped him into your faculty." His expression and tone softening, the woodsman let an amused bark escape his lips. "Well, it suits a man who chases knowledge. It's just a shame that he couldn't join us out here; we could use an expert excavator."

"No doubt, though as he said himself, his 'sense of duty' to the young minds at the academy wouldn't allow it. Which leads me to my last issue…"

"Oh yeah, you mentioned something that had to do with Glynda, right?" Regis quirked a curious eyebrow, obviously wondering what kind of help Glynda might need from him.

"Somewhat…"

"Somewhat?"

"To be fair," Ozpin picked up his mug again, enjoying its cooling aroma before taking another sip. "It concerns General Ironwood as well…"

V_V_V_V_V_V_V_V_V_V_V_V_V_V_V

[Marker Academy, Arena]

Smoke rose from the middle of the small stadium.

The heat permeated from the area, spreading into the bleachers before rising past the open roof. Smashed obstacles and burning earth lay spread out across its surface, where steam and flame rose from white hot patches of concrete. The dissipating bodies of several grim were strewn about as well, several of which were ignited in an incandescent bonfire. The air shimmered from the heat wafting from the area, creating wavy distortions of the wrecked area. Other than the crackle of fire and smoke, the only sound that pierced the silent arena was the slow, heavy gasps for breath that escaped from its sole combatant.

Watching from the bleachers, Glynda flared her aura to ignore the incessant heat that billowed past her. She was one of the few individuals who were in the stadium itself, watching the young man in the arena below slowly catch his breath again. She was thankful for the open roof and natural ventilation, otherwise the smoke would have become a major issue for both of them. Her expression as she stared past the dissipating smoke was rather hard to read; eyes neither glaring nor soft, lips straight lined without smile or frown. One would chalk it up to her strict nature and demanding presence, though the barest hint of a shimmer in her eyes betrayed otherwise.

"So," came the now calm, though still ragged gasp of the young man. He stood up to his full height, his back facing Glynda as he looked forward to the judge's box at the top of the small stadium. His red hair fell down to the base of his neck, messy and unkempt. He seemed unburdened by the heat in his red long sleeve shirt, even in the burning and thrashed landscape that surrounded him. From behind the massive window pane that served as the entire viewing wall of the judge's box, several figures could be seen looking down at the young man in the arena, turning to each other as if in discussion.

"What's the verdict? Do I pass?"

Glynda wanted to respond. On one hand she felt an immense sense of pride, on the other hand she had many criticisms on what she just witnessed. She was a strict individual by nature, merciless to point out flaws where they stood out, but also to coldly reinforce what was done well. However, it was not her place at the moment to give her criticisms, nor her praises. She was not the teacher or judge at the moment.

She was the witness to his final exam at Marker Academy.

After a few moments of silence, the figures behind the glass pane looked back at the examinee.

"Though there are concerns with your methods of fighting…"

"As well as your lack of restriction on destruction…"

"Not to mention you're your tendency to take blows you should be able to avoid…"

With each different proctor's criticism, the redhead's shoulders began to tense up, fists clenching as they trembled slightly. Even from behind, Glynda could tell that a look of worry was spreading across his expression; the trembling in his body was neither annoyance nor anger, but fear at being rejected. She could hardly blame him, what with this being his ticket to graduation.

"We must admit that you show excellent tenacity…"

"Your potential at wiping away Grim is one of the most affective we've seen in a few years…"

"You recover quickly enough to not be overcome by a constant advance…"

There was another pause, this time to let the information sink in. Then, one final authoritative voice spoke.

"It is this board's decision that you hold the skills and talents required of a successful Huntsman. Therefore, you are now officially a graduate of Marker Academy."

His shoulders rose and his chest puffed out with obvious pride upon those words.

"Congratulations, Lex Pyrus."

Without hesitation, the redhead whirled around, staring straight at Glynda where she sat. The smoke and hot air had dissipated enough to where they could clearly see each other. She stared ahead with a slightly softened expression and the barest hint of a smile on her lips. What greeted her were brilliant emerald eyes and the brightest grin she had ever seen on his face. Lifting his arm and holding out his hand, Lex balled his fist and cried out ecstatically.

"DAMN STRAIGHT I PASSED!"

"It seems so, Mr. Pyrus." She could barely contain her smile, but schooled her expression to remain professional. "Though there are still plenty of issues you need to work on; I'll be adding my own criticism to those of the board once we return."

To those who didn't know Glynda personally, and even to some of those who did, such a remark after meeting such an accomplishment would have been cold and brutal, like she almost wanted to crush the excitement and pride that radiated from the young man. Lex, for his own part, nodded acceptingly, his smiling expression not even slightly dampened as he made his way toward the bleachers.

"I know, I know. But hey, I'll have plenty of time to fix them once I enroll in Beacon."

V_V_V_V_V_V_V_V_V_V_V_V_V_V_V

[Atlas Military Compound, Ironwoods Office]

Lit by the cold morning sun, a man of strong build and dark hair with silver streaks gazed down from the windows of his office, overlooking the military grounds below. It was the beginning of Summer; even in Atlas' cold climate, the snow that regularly coated the continent had finally dissipated, leaving behind dark green growth and the rich soil that lay beneath. The plant and wildlife, much like the people of Atlas, were strong and hardy throughout the best and worst times of the year. With a satisfied smile, he turned from the windows to face the other two occupants of the room.

Ironwood's aquatic gaze was steely and harsh, but held a simmer of warmth behind them. The room they stood in permeated with the smell of steel, oil, and old varnished wood. The furniture, from the main desk to the shelves of books to cabinets that surrounded them, were of simple yet elegant design, their dark wood reflecting the light from the windows; the carpet, seat cushions, and walls were of a pine green that, with the dark brown of the furniture, gave it a natural feel. In contrast, the walls were decorated with a several polished, iron-grey pieces weaponry; from rifles to bayonets, to even a pair of well decorated revolvers displayed above his liquor cabinet.

The office exemplified the General's dearest treasures.

"Earlier this morning I received word from Ozpin regarding both of your enrollments at Beacon." His calm but firm voice commanded attention with strength and hidden zeal. "After consideration for your previous experiences and my recommendation, he has agreed to allow you both to begin classes in the coming fall."

Of the two occupants, the first to react spoke with energetic glee.

"Sensational! Thank you for this opportunity, General. Neither of us will let you down!" With a salute that brushed the bangs of her bright orange hair, Penny delivered a radiant smile to Ironwood with no shame.

Smiling in return for a split second, Ironwood turned his harsh gaze upon the young man beside her, who stood at attention as they locked eyes. Steel toed boots and green cargo pants clicked together upon meeting Ironwoods gaze as if on instinct. Though he was not bulky per se, there was hidden strength visible even under the camo of his baggy jacket. Small, green bangs poked out from under the front of his beret, barely reaching halfway to eyes that returned the General's steely gaze.

"Though Penny is exceptional with her technology and combat prowess, it falls to you to keep an eye on her while you're both at Beacon. Are you ready to take this path? This will be your choice alone, in the end." Ironwoods gaze never wavered as he spoke. "I'm not going to dissuade you from this choice, but I do wish to make sure you understand the weight of this decision."

With a stiff node and the barest hint of a smile, the young man's gaze turned confident as he nodded to the General.

"Yes sir. I'm going to become a Huntsman; that's my final decision and I accept the responsibility that comes with it." He glanced at Penny, his eyes warming. "Penny will be in good hands."

"I don't doubt it." Ironwood nodded in agreement. "Then it's settled. Roland Hamris, Penny, in two month's you will both travel to Vale and spend the next four years training as a Huntsman and Huntress. I wish you both the best of luck."

Penny stood at attention along with Roland, balling their fists and striking their chests, speaking in perfect unison.

"Yes sir!"

X X X X

 **A/N: Alright, so that's the first chapter….nearly 7.5K words. I went overboard, I think. But hopefully you all enjoyed a taste of some of the things to come. If you took the time to read this first chapter/prologue of sorts, I thank you for giving it a shot. As a first author's note, there isn't much I can say about this story yet, or should say, even. I'll have more to say on the matter next time, but until then, R &R, criticism, and ideas are all welcome. Hit me with your best shot guys!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Three months. Over three months since I published the first chapter. What's worse is that I feel that sometimes I may take a chapter on for too long. I realize that some people might not like that at times I have a very descriptive style of writing, but I hope I'm wrong on this.**

 **Anyway…**

 **So welcome to the second chapter of Pearls On The Wind. I hope you guys will enjoy this next installment. So one of the things you'll probably realize about the story already is that there are events that took place pre-canon that I'm using as a basis to make small changes to current canon so far. The three characters, Regis, Lex, and Roland, are a direct result of a stray in the original timeline, originating with Regis himself and causing small ripples of change throughout the years up until the first episode (i.e. Regis - The Great Expansion - shortage of available hunters - higher density of Grimm in The Emerald Forest). No time travel involved though, just one of those "for want of a nail" situations I wanted to pull off. I'll reveal more as the time story goes along.**

 **Another thing I'd like to work with is giving all the side characters more depth, such as Glynda, Nora, Ren, and even Cardin. I'm not thinking of giving Cardin some big psychological reason for his racism, nor am I planning on giving Nora a grim dark past, but there needs to be some more meat to them. Ren and Nora's dynamic seems like it will be fun to play around with especially. I just hope I can make an entertaining story for everyone to read, but still try and avoid too many pitfalls, especially with these new characters. I want to make sure these three OC's fit well within the story. One reviewer mentioned how we didn't get much info on Lex or Roland; I hope I have mitigated that this chapter.**

 **Lastly, this chapter was going on too long, so I felt it was best to split it up from the end and continue in the next chapter…which I'll need to get started on right away.**

 **So read, review, and enjoy folks.**

 **Chapter 2:**

 **A Swirl of Beginnings**

The heat and darkness of dreams slowly spiraled into the abyss, bringing consciousness and the sensations of where he lay. Soft sheets and blinding light greeted Lex as he met the waking world. He felt the room brighten with the morning sun, refusing to crack an eye open while shifting a pillow over his head; its light, velvet weight did well to block out the arrival of the day. This was fine for him; sleep may have been impossible now that he was awake, but as long as the redhead never once opened his eyes, he could pretend otherwise. The young man was so convinced of his cunning tenacity to stay in bed, it seemed that nothing would rouse him from its fluffy sanctuary, save for Glynda barging in before midday as he was used to.

Imagine the surprise felt when a blaring, shrill alarm sounded off merely inches away from his head.

"…daaaaaamniiiiiiiiiit..." Despair filled Lex's croaking voice, reaching a hand out to the unknown. From beneath the pillow, he felt his fingers clasp a wooden surface, using it to guide the hand to where the noise most likely came from. When solid wood turned to light plastic, the lazy caster seized the offending object. Taking a deep lungful of air to rouse himself, Lex lifted his head from under the pillow with renewed energy, squinting his eyes in the bright sun to glare at the alarm clock in his hands.

"What the hell," he said more evenly, turning off the alarm while examining the time; nine o'clock in the morning. With displeasure and no way to comfortably return to sleeping in, he slowly pushed himself up, shifting his legs so that he sat on the bed facing the wall. Tugging at the massive night shirt he wore, Lex glanced around his room while waking up. To his right was the last vestige of shadow in his room, the only protection from the morning light that hid his desk and the papers on top of it. To his left was the window that let in the offending, sunny daylight, a wooden cabinet sitting right next to it. Beyond that, the room seemed fairly similar to any other room in Beacon.

On the wall in front of him was a calendar with multiple red 'X' marks on the days leading up to the one circled in red. Green, squinted eyes soon widened in realization upon looking at the date.

Today was the day.

Smacking his cheeks and rubbing his face, the redhead shifted himself off of the bed, lowering his feet to the soothing cold floor as he stood up. Twisting his hips and stretching his chest with a few pops, Lex finished stretching out and walked to his closet, pulling off the massive white shirt and tossing it back toward the unmade bed. Excitement warmed his chest and a feral smile flashed across his expression as he started shifting through the clothes he would ware for the day.

It was fairly popular in today's society to have one's own color scheme; ever since the Great War, self-expression of one's individuality was highly valued and encouraged throughout the kingdoms. Having outlandish clothing, hair styles, and even ridiculously complicated weaponry were more common nowadays. However, unlike many others who had fancifully designed clothing or something flashy to show off, Lex preferred the simple things; red shirt, black jacket, jeans and terrain shoes. No special décor or symbols, no flashy iconography, elegant styles or the like. Just practical, simple…

" _Yet still stylish~!"_ He thought as he slipped his daily wear on.

The muffled sounds of shuffling clothing escaped the closet for a few moments, ceasing when Lex finally left, fully clothed and ready for the day. He made one last stop by his desk, still littered with papers, pencils, erasers, and other drawing and writing material. Picking up the top stack of spread out scratch paper, Lex began to look through several different sketches ranging from clothing to weapons, each with several small notes scribbled on the page. After checking over his previous night's work, he pulled out one last sketch, staring at it intently, as if to memorize every detail of the page. A smile wormed its way to his lips, his crimson hair swaying back and forth as he nodded in approval.

There was a sudden series of sharp knocks on the door, startling the redhead from his musings. Before he could say anything, the door opened swiftly to reveal a stern faced Glynda. She began to stroll into the room, but stopped short after realizing that Lex was standing at his desk, already up for the day. Her surprised, owlish expression made it impossible for him to not chuckle at her expense.

"Oh, Lex! I didn't realize you were up already." Her expression resumed a more neutral but curious look as she continued in a more sarcastic tone. "I expected it would take a few hours before you joined the land of the living…"

"Usually, yeah." He admitted, no particular embarrassment in his tone. "I'm not going to kick the late morning habit so easily though..."

"You will if you want to maintain your grades this year, young man." The sternness returned Glyndas glare instantly.

"Ehehe…yeah." Lex chuckled, scratching his head sheepishly this time. "Well, I'll do what I need to, so you don't have to worry about that too much. Besides, my partner will make sure I'm not late in the mornings."

"Thank goodness for small miracles, I suppose."

"Meh," He waved off her small jab, coming right back with his own. "What's a miracle is your timing. A minute or two earlier and you would've barged in on me stark naked. I thought you'd have more tact than that, Ms. Goodwitch."

"Ah…" Glynda's expression turned from surprise to bright red embarrassment as she realized her brash entry. Coughing into her hand, she continued. "Well then, I must apologize. I should probably…give you more warning if I ever need to wake you."

"Don't sweat it, Glynda. I'm so used to you flipping the bed over on top of me that it's second nature by this point." He chuckled again, turning his gaze back to the sketch in his hand. "This is pretty cool, to be honest. I'm finally a full blown, official student at Beacon."

Placing down the paper with fond care, Lex turned to Glynda with his excited grin. All the training, tutoring, and mistakes finally led up to this day; the day he would join the new student arrivals for the initiation ceremony into Beacon. Lex could honestly say this was the most excited he'd ever been in his life. Not only was he going to finally be a full blown Hunter in Training, but he would be part of the shipment of newcomers to the prestigious combat academy. It would still be a while before the airship would arrive with all the new students, but unlike most days where Lex would just laze about in bed, he felt the need to get up and prepare for the day much earlier than usual.

"Well, you've made a lot of progress, so it isn't that surprising." Glynda crossed her arms under her chest, staring curiously at Lex. "How do you feel?"

"Excited...a little antsy…pretty good, honestly!"

"That's good to hear." Glynda's lips perked up in a small, warmly rare smile. "Well, head to the cafeteria and get some breakfast. We'll all be very busy today, so until the students arrive, neither I nor the others will be very available."

"You got it, ma'am. I'll try not to cause any trouble before the students arrive," Lex replied in a goofy salute. "Though to be honest, I don't mind helpi-"

"Out of the question. You are a student now, and it would be inappropriate for you to help with official staff responsibilities." Glynda was yet again the stern, 'no fun' teacher she was known as.

"Alright, alright. I understand. I'll keep myself entertained, so don't worry about the school burning down before the other students even get here." He chuckled warmly.

With a curt nod of approval, Glynda paused for a moment before strolling forward and standing next to the redhead. Without hesitation, she swiftly wrapped her arms around him, his arms weaving around her as they embraced each other in a tight hug. She felt the warmth of his body even through his insulated clothes, hugging him even tighter with firm affection. Always the stern, feared and respected professor of Beacon, Glynda took comfort in the small, tender moments she could with the precious few she cared about.

"I won't have any time to talk with you once the students all arrive, nor can I show anything that might be taken as bias toward you."

"Glynda, I know. No worries, alright?" Lex smiled with amusement as his chin rested on her shoulder.

"Right. So…good luck in initiation tomorrow. It's going to be rough with the higher density of Grimm this year, but I know you can manage it." She felt his arms squeeze harder at her words.

"You got it."

Just as swiftly as it started, the warm embrace ended, the two parting from each other with warm smiles. With a click of her heels, Glynda turned and strode out of the room. With a curt nod and one last smile, she gently closed the door behind as she left, leaving Lex alone in the sunlit abode. After a few moments of silence, the redhead's boot falls echoed over toward the cabinet, the carved wooden doors creaking as they opened up.

" _Alright, time to pack everything up for the ballroom tonight."_

He spent the next few minutes stuffing away some shirts and underwear, toiletries and other necessities, before grabbing his weapon and leaving out the door…

V_V_V_V_V_V_V_V_V

" _NEVER AGAIN WILL I RIDE IN THIS SUFFOCATING COFFINE OF A VEHICLE!"_

Aboard said vehicle, also known as an airship, Regis sat stiffly with both arms and legs crossed unhappily. Oxygen filled his lungs with every long, deep breath he took in an attempt to quail the aches and pains of his stomach. It didn't help that he could tell the air had been sterilized, recycled, and pressurized in an unnatural and completely alien way to him. All he could do at the moment was keep taking deep breaths and ignore the lack of free roaming, natural air all around him. That, and silently curse the hateful being that forced him into such a deplorable situation.

" _WHY THE HELL COULDN'T YOU SPARE ONE, GODDAMN BULLHEAD, OZPIN! AND WHO THE HELL CAME UP WITH PRESSURIZED CABINS, ANYWAY?!"_

The cerulean haired woodsman couldn't help but think this was payback for making Ozpin wait until the last minute for his arrival at Beacon. It wasn't really his fault, however; he needed to make absolutely sure all his bases were covered back at the Expansion site, so that things would keep running smoothly even while he was gone. Because of that, he only had a few days to get to Vale and Beacon to prepare for the initiation and classes. Unfortunately, there was 'supposedly' no free bullpins to give him a ride straight to the Academy, so he was forced to endure the arduous, airtight torture of Beacon's student transport airship.

Though he received odd looks from the newly accepted first years, both for his demeanor and his age on a student ship, he felt that the best way to address that issue was to not give a shit.

" _Screw you kids. I feel sick, stressed, and somewhat pissed now that this whole mess is starting to come together. Ya'll can DEAL with the weird guy being pissy in the corner…"_

Ignoring the students around him and trying to take his mind off of the recycled, constricting air, Regis took in the details of the ship itself. Even with all his hatred for it, the woodsman couldn't help but admire the sleek, polished steel of the floors and corridors of the ship. It was, in his own words, a marvel of modern engineering. He wasn't ignorant of the technological accomplishments of the modern world, but he spent so much of his life living and surviving in the Grimm wilderness, far away from the Four Kingdoms, that the advancements seemed absolutely ridiculous in their scale and power. It also made him marvel at modern day weaponry; mech-shift technology revolutionized Hunting in general, giving Huntsmen the option of both close-range and long range capabilities in one weapon.

As absurd as it was, he had to admit that the application of a shotgun sword was useful, even if it was just a fancy, bayonetted gun.

With his gut trying to win a gymnastics championship, Regis desperately tried to ignore the fact that such a beautiful ship was also the coffin he flew in. Focusing on his breathing yet again, the woodsman turned his attention to the other passengers in the cabin, hoping for some level of distraction from them. Consequently, the sound of gagging was the first thing to catch his attention. Sitting just to Regis' left was a young man hunched over in his seat, a mop of blonde hair hiding his face while a gloved hand clamped over his mouth. Though he had clean but worn armor strapped to his chest and limbs, as well as a sword strapped to his hip, the young man wore nothing else buy normal jeans and a hoodie underneath. Such unremarkable clothing stood out amongst the various customized outfits most of the other students wore, peaking the cerulean haired man's curiosity.

Sensing a kindred spirit suffering the same sickly fate, the Regis unfolded his arms and leaned forward with the makeshift knight, elbows on his knees for support. Now that his head was on the same level as the young man's, he decided to strike up a conversation, hoping that it would distract him long enough until they landed.

"Let me guess, not a fan of airships either?"

The boy looked up, meeting Regis' lilac eyes with a crystal blue gaze. The woodsman was almost taken back when he took in the young man's face completely, revealing a fair complexion and sickly hue to his skin. There was unrestrained doubt and worry behind those eyes; for the life of him, Regis couldn't think of any reason for such an expression.

" _Besides a possible fear of flying machines_ ," he thought, sending the teen a sympathetic grin to calm his ailing nerves.

"Oh, well…" His body lurched a forward when a 'HURP' escaped his throat, no doubt holding back the storm below. "Not so much airships, really. Just…airsickness is more common than you would think."

"I see. Then you've got my deepest sympathies." Reaching out, the woodsman patted the knightly teen firmly, but gently, on his back. "You didn't come from one of the more secluded villages, did you? This thing usually takes a few days to stop and pick up people from all around Vale, after all."

"Nah…not really." The reluctance in his reply caught Regis' attention, but he ignored it for the moment. "I decided to take a land trip to a closer port near Vale, that way I could avoid all this."

"Good choice. I hope you can make it until we reach Beacon." It was meant as a joke, but the sheepish expression on the blonde's face forced the woodsman to switch topics. "Wait, you come from outside the kingdom?"

"What?" It took the young man a moment to realize what Regis was saying. He shook his head in reply, "No, no. Vale the city, not the Kingdom of Vale."

"Ah crap, I keep forgetting that." The man placed a hand over his face in embarrassment. "Seriously, who names a city after the Kingdom we live in? It's just confusing."

"Amen to that, I always got them mixed up on history exams." With a chuckle, the blonde continued. "So thanks for the concern, Mr…."

"I'm Regis. Regis Keller." Regis held out his hand toward the armored teen, smiling kindly. "Sorry if I was bothering you at all."

"N-no trouble, really. I'm actually happy you did." Taking Regis' hand in his and shaking somewhat limply, the young man continued. "My name is Jaune. Jaune Arc. Short, sweet, rolls of the tongue, ladies love it."

There are few things in this world man is able to resist through sheer, utter willpower. The need to snort loudly and nearly burst out laughing at Jaune's bravado was one of them. With his shoulders shaking from the chuckles that escaped his lips, Regis resumed control after a few moments, willing himself to keep his voice somewhat even.

"I bet they do! Is that you're pickup line?

"Ah…well…" Mortified, Jaune looked down to the floor, his face beat red in embarrassment. "I guess I should look for a different one, huh?"

"Hmm…" With a hand underneath his chin, Regis thought carefully. The teen seemed to be a mess when it came to pick up lines or social skills, but he didn't want to completely destroy him. "Actually, it works pretty well. As long as you don't sound like you actually believe it yourself, it's a great way to break the ice."

"I see…" Jaune didn't look like he actually understood, but he nodded none-the-less, prompting Regis to drop the topic; the poor guy seemed embarrassed enough as it was. "So, what about you? Are we brothers in air-sickness?"

"Not really." Crossing his arms, Regis sat back again, staring up at the ceiling with an annoyed expression. "It's just suffocating."

"Suffocating?" Jaune raised an eyebrow.

"The air in here. I feel like I can't breathe sometimes because the ship is so airtight. No wind in my face, no natural outside air, nothing. Just a pressurized cabin with recirculated air; I feel trapped and claustrophobic in this damn thing."

"Oh wow," Jaune was genuinely surprised at that. "You must not like un-fresh air at all then, huh?"

"I've been outside my whole life," Regis replied, looking out the window behind him; he had to admit, even with the downsides of airship travel, the view of the city below was breathtaking at this height. "Closed spaces, especially airtight ones, feel wrong."

"Well," Jaune pointed out to the windows on the other side, where a tall building stood on the horizon. "It looks like we'll be landing soon, so at least we can get off this ship soon."

"A-freakin'-MEN."

With a wide smile, Regis pushed himself off of his seat, standing up and stretching out his limbs, eliciting a series of pops from his back and arms. With their destination so close, he felt that getting up and moving closer to the exit ramp before landing would expedite his leave from the ship.

"Well Jaune, I'm going to stretch my legs before we land. It was nice talking to you."

"OH, uh, no problem Regis." Jaune waved back, somewhat awkwardly. "Take care, sir."

"You too."

With a nod, Regis strolled down the cabin toward the main body of the ship, leaving Jaune to refocus his efforts on not vomiting all over the place. As he passed by a blonde girl talking to a younger girl clad in red, he caught a small bit of their conversation. Something about the dark haired girl getting into Beacon early, making her the 'bee's knees'.

"I don't want to be the bee's knees. I don't want any kind of knees! I just wanna be a normal girl with normal knees."

"Then you've come to the wrong place." Regis didn't know what possessed him to interject as he walked past them, but it felt like something that needed to be said.

"Excuse me?" The well-developed blonde talking to the girl turned toward Regis, eyeing him incredulously. She seemed defensive of the girl in red. "What's THAT supposed to mean?!"

Regis' deadpan expression seemed to catch the blonde bombshell off guard.

"It means that if you want anything remotely normal in your life, then jump ship as soon as you can. I mean, everyone on this ship, including the both of you, are huntsmen and huntresses. You defend humanity from the Grimm, can wield the manifestations of your own souls, and exemplify the best of the best. Not to MENTION, you're all going to Beacon Academy." He pointed a thumb out the window, showing Beacon slowly come closer over the horizon.

"Sorry to say, we're the furthest thing from NORMAL that you can be, kid."

With a small chuckle, Regis continued his stride, leaving the two girls to watch him leave. The older girl pouted as he left, not exactly happy with his blunt nature. The younger of the two held her chin curiously, seriously contemplating his words. Moments later, the sound of barfing and disgusted squeals echoed throughout the cabin, too far away from the woodsman for him to care.

V_V_V_V_V_V_V_V_V

On the upper level cabin of the ship, oceanic blue eyes took in the surrounding environment with steely efficiency. Subtle, imperceptible twitches marked every new detail that caught their attention; nothing was safe from scrutiny. The lightning pole-arm with a retractable rail-gun barrel, the chainsaw-bayonet rifle, a simple mace with a dust chamber on the top of it. Each one examined with almost machine-like efficiency, specs calculated on the fly and structural integrity of each judged. Where was its weakest point? How many ways could it jam? How much skill is needed for it to be practical? Each question came with its own answer seconds later, filed away for possible future utilizations. Uniqueness provided little hindrance to the ruthless analysis of each weapon, customized or otherwise.

It went without saying, Roland was enjoying the free inflight show the other students were providing.

Leaning back against the set of seats along the cabin's interior hallways, the green haired young man's arms were slung over the seats to either side of him, casually surveying his surroundings to pass the time. It had been a few days since he and Penny had left Atlas to begin their enrollment at Beacon academy, taking a military transport to the city of Vale before catching the main airship transport to the towering academy that now only a few minutes of flight away. Though the rough and practical transports of Atlas were outmatched in physical comfort by Vale's gleaming airship designs, Roland held little love for them. The cushioned seats sunk in too easily in comparison to the padded designs of Atlas. Everything was too pristine, bright and well cleaned next to the practical, dark colored and scuffed up interior of regular military vehicles.

" _Though there are more actual human beings around than normal,"_ he thought, feeling awkward but happy with the sight of so many people his own age. _"Which was a plus at least, and speaking of Penny…"_

Out of the corner of his eye, a plume of orange hair topped with a green bow bobbed up and down in the seat next to him, powered by some strange source of energy that no amount of dust could replicate.

To say Penny was excited was putting it mildly. She was beyond ecstatic! Roland realized this as he watched the artificial girl's emerald gaze shift back and forth rapidly across the entire room. Unlike her partner, she was focusing on the people that passed by or sat across from the two, taking in everything like a child hungry for the taste of everything new. Watching every new face pass by, analyzing the interactions and conversations everyone was having, and how they reacted to each other in the complex array of social activity was providing the young robot with much more information than she could have ever hoped to gain back in Atlas. A petite but bright smile adorned her lips as she continued to enjoy the sight.

Roland allowed himself a smile as well. Penny always wanted to have more interaction with regular people and to someday make friends outside of the military. It was nice to see her getting so excited about finally having her wish granted, especially after waiting two months before coming to Vale. Still, he couldn't help but think of the irony of the situation. Here she was, surrounded by new faces, new people, fellow huntsmen and huntresses like the two of them; yet as excited as she was and giddy at the prospect, Penny never once stood up from her seat to greet a single soul that passed her by.

"You never struck me as the shy type, Penny."

Tangerine hair bobbed in place when Penny turned her attention to her cameo clothed compatriot, the young robot girl's expression shifting from excitement to curious surprise. With several rapid blinks, she flushed and stared at her hands in her lap, twiddling her thumbs in embarrassment.

"I am very excited Roland, but…there are so many ways that so many people greet each other, it's hard to decide the best course of action." She nodded over toward one group of people who were becoming well acquainted. "There are people who start with a conversation before they formally greet one another, while others act boldly and introduce themselves with little to no prior reason. Some are very polite and courteous, some are excited, others are brash and uncaring for formality, and then there are people who act timidly or quiet upon their first greeting. There are so many courses of actions, so many variables. What if I greet someone the wrong way and lose a friend because of it? What if people don't want to be greeted at all? Roland, it's so hard to choose the best way to introduce myself to others!" Her voice had become more stressed as she continued to speak, ending with an uncharacteristic hint of worry in its tone.

"Woah," Roland blinked, unprepared for the onslaught of concerns Penny flooded him with. "I guess I never really thought of that. Maybe you're overthinking it?"

"Possibly," Penny looked up at Roland with a slightly nervous smile. "I thought that I just had to be friendly and excited from the beginning, like I was with you and the other soldiers in Atlas. Seeing so many different people with such varying types of introductions…"

She felt the strong, gentle pressure of Roland's hand on her head, the green haired soldier giving her an amused, comforting smile. Almost immediately the artificial girl felt more relaxed by her partner's touch, her nervousness ebbing away.

"I'd say just be yourself. It's worked so far, hasn't hit? So just don't worry about it too much." He gently rubbed her head in reassurance. "If you fall short or make a mistake, just do better next time. That's all."

Penny's smile brightened, nodding in agreement.

"You're probably right. There are so many possibilities, but I don't have the data to suggest any of them are better than one another." With a confident expression, the copper haired girl raised her fists daringly. "No worries! Take action! Accept the consequences! Push on! Just like you said."

"That's the spirit," Roland smiled happily at the show of determination.

Glancing out the window, they could both see the landing ramp coming into view as the ship prepared to dock. The pilot's voice echoed over the ships intercom with the standard pre-landing speech. With that, both the young soldier and the artificial child stood up and began to make their way to the elevator of the ship.

"Let's get our equipment ready."

[Twenty Minutes Later]

"Got both of our necessities?" Roland glanced down at Penny as he slung a massive, dark green metallic box over his shoulder, his grip like steel on the handle protruding from its front edge. On underside next to the front edge, a long reinforced handle ran along the surface. There were lined separations on each side of the rectangular box, as well as several plated sections on several points along its surface.

"Absolutely!" Penny chirped happily, holding the shoulder straps that held the two massive duffle bags secured to her back. Altogether, the bags seemed to be twice her size and weight, yet she carried them as if they weight very little as she jumped up with each step.

As Roland and Penny exited the cargo hold with their equipment in tow, the sound of a small explosion echoed across the landing port.

"What the hell?!" Without warning, Roland sprinted off the ramp and ran toward the source of the explosion, his footfalls sounding loudly with each step. Penny, not as quick to react as her companion, sprinted to catch up with the cameo clad hunter in training, calling out for him to wait. He kept rushing forward, the sound of the explosion having reminded him of a dust bomb; the idea alone demanded he not slow down. Once around to the main exit ramp, Roland caught sight of the small cloud of smoke now dissipating into the air.

At the sudden prospect of an attack of some nature, the green haired man's mind went cold, even as Penny cried out to him with words he couldn't quite hear. What could it have been, a bomb? Someone attacking them? Where was the enemy? What places provided the most cover? Were there any glints on the roof? Was it from the ship? These thoughts flew through his mind, processing each meticulously. With his eyes set in a wild, unemotional gaze, he was poised to spring forward, both hand wrapped tightly around the long handle of his box and with every muscle taught like steel wire. His body felt like it was on autopilot, choosing his decisions for him before he could even process what was happening.

It was only the familiar sting of a small, alloy reinforced foot kicking him harshly in the shin that stole his focus away, removing the noise muffling filter from his mind.

"ROLAND! It's alright, no one is panicking! Look around."

Roland blinked at the pumpkin haired girl for a moment, trying to regain his focus. Shaking off confusion and glancing around, Roland paid more mind to the students' reactions so far. People weren't exactly panicking, but more than that, the people near the explosion didn't seem to be all too worried about it. In fact, the two girls who seemed to have been caught **inside** the explosion itself seemed completely fine from what he could see; even if they seemed to be arguing with every hint of hostility.

It was only then that Roland realized the fast paced rhythm thrumming within his chest. With a few deep breaths to stead out the rapid heartbeats, his looked back down at Penny, who stared back in mild concern. With a heavy sigh, the cameo clade hunter shook his head reassuringly, though his expression remained impassive.

"Sorry, went on autopilot again. Thanks for the readjust."

"That's what I'm here fore!" Penny instantly cheered up and gave him a salute, which the large youth returned in kind. He was really happy Penny was here with him, and him with her. If it wasn't for her knocking him out of his inadvertent focus, he might have done something embarrassing or estranging on their very first day; not the kind of impression he wanted to make so quickly.

"Still, I wonder what all the commotion was about. Let's go see, just to be sure." With the young robot nodding in agreement, the two companions then strolled toward ground zero of the explosive incident, where a young woman clad in pure white was berating a younger girl clad in black and red.

"Seems like a Schnee's going to Beacon as well." Roland glanced at the pile of cases they were walking up toward, all marked with the Schnee family crest.

"Oh, how exciting!" Penny clapped her hands together. "It must be Weiss Schnee, the young heiress! Do you think she'd like to be friends with us?"

"Well…" Roland raised an eyebrow at the arguing pair as another girl, one with a large, black bow, walked up to them as well. Though in truth, it wasn't so much that they were arguing, but that the Schnee heiress was practically tearing into the girl in red. Kind of like an adult scolding an unruly child.

"I honestly doubt it, she doesn't seem like the friendly type."

"Oh, that is unfortunate then." Penny pouted in slight disappointment.

"Well, I'm sure there's plenty of people here for you to befriend." Roland replied offhandedly, his attention focusing in on the weapons of the red and black girls talking with Weiss. The small girl's weapon was hard to discern, with its multiple points of articulation, high caliber folded rifle design, and several bladed sections that remained in its fold. Possibly a folded spear? The black haired young woman with the bow had an even stranger weapon; it looked like a katana with its handle converted into a pistol, the blade itself hidden within a massive rectangular sheath that could double as a cleaver. But why was there a ribbon tied to the weapon?

"Us."

"Hmm?" He raised an eyebrow to Penny's sudden question.

"Us. Plural. There will be plenty of people for 'us' to befriend, not just me." Stern, emerald orbs gazed unwaveringly into Roland's as she continued. "You're going to make friends here too, Roland, don't leave yourself out like that."

"I mean…of course." He looked away while scratching his head sheepishly. It's not that he didn't want to meet people at Beacon. To the contrary, he wanted to make many allies as a hunter; it was one of the main reasons he even decided to become one.

"It's just that you'll probably have an easier time than I will, you know?"

"Hmmm…maybe. But then I'll just have to make twice as many friends for you!" She flashed a dazzling smile in return.

"I'll hold you to that." Roland grinned in return, chuckling at Penny's upbeat offer.

She replied with her own melodious laughter, the two of them sharing a warm string of giggles at some untold joke.

The exasperated sigh and sound of a tiny body hitting the floor drew their attention back to where the explosion took place. The Schnee heiress and the girl in black had already left, leaving the younger girl by herself. Down on the ground with a depressed expression, she mumbled something sarcastically about 'making friends'. Sharing a glance between each other, they held a quick, unspoken confirmation.

"Maybe you can start with this girl?" Roland's raised eyebrows asked.

"I will 'give it a go', as you say!" The enthusiastic smile Penny held spoke loud and clear.

The strolled over to the fallen red riding hood, Penny leading the way. Just as Roland noticed that a blonde young man was walking over to them as well, Penny stopped just shy of the fallen girl's face. At the same time the young man known as Jaune stopped right in front of the dark haired girl, holding out his hand in offering.

"Salutations! Are you…alright?"

"Hey there. Need a…hand?"

Penny and Jaune spoke at the same time, causing them both to look up and lock gazes in confusion. The young girl in red looked up at both of them both curiously as well, wondering how in the world two separate people managed to accidentally offer help at the same time. Behind Penny, Roland seemed just as surprised by it.

" _It's actually kind of impressive,"_ he thought in amusement.

The two helpers stood up, attempting to apologize for interrupting the other.

"Uh, sorry, I guess you were here first."

"Apologies. I stole your offering of help."

"Oh, no, really, my bad. I was just budding in."

"And I was being unmindful of another's attempts at aid. Please, by all means."

Jaune seemed at a loss for words as Penny motioned politely for him to offer a helping hand. It wasn't every day that you offer help at the exact same moment as someone else. After an awkward pause, he lowered his hand once again in offering, flashing the red clad girl a nervous grin.

"Eh, sorry about that. I'm Jaune."

"Ruby. Thanks."

Ruby smiled back and took his hand, allowing him to pull her up to her feet gingerly. She turned around to Penny with a grateful smile.

"Um…thanks for the…offer of help? I appreciate it…"

"Penny, at your service!" Penny motioned to Roland. "This is Roland. It is sensational to meet you both, Ruby and Jaune!"

"Yo." Roland lifted a hand in greeting, his expression neutral.

"Oh, well thanks, Penny." Ruby held out her hand happily. "It's a pleasure to meet you!"

Penny took Ruby's hand with an ecstatic smile, shaking it firmly in response. Ruby winced at how strong the ginger haired girl's grip was; like some sort of steel trap clamped around its prey.

"The pleasure is all mine!"

"Same here, Penny. Don't worry about interrupting me or anything." Jaune stood by Ruby with a kind wave, holding out his own hand in greeting. "There's never a bad time to offer a friendly hand."

Penny stiffened up suddenly, her hand still gripped tightly around Ruby's hand. Everyone noticed her sudden change, staring at her curiously. Ruby attempted to move her hand, eventually trying to pry herself from the other girls grip; it proved absolutely futile as she strained her hands in the girl's tight hold. Roland tilted his head curiously, waving a hand in front of Penny's face without any response, his expression becoming concerned. Jaune looked put off by the lack of reaction, eventually gathering the courage to speak up in the awkward silence.

"Hey, are you alright? Hello?"

Penny's grip immediately loosened its hold on Ruby's hand, making a quick stride until she stood right in front of Jaune, the close proximity of a girl's body immediately sending off warning sirens in his head. Her emerald gaze pierced through him, reminding the young man of his mother and sisters whenever they discarded all forms of mirth. It shook him to his core, daring the blonde knight wannabe to gaze upon his sins and face the retribution his soul deems appropriate.

"Are you saying," Penny's voice was deathly quiet as she continued to hold his gaze. "That I am your friend?"

"….what."

"Your friend." Penny insisted, her voice regaining its normal tone. "You said that what I did was a friendly gesture. You mean that we are now friends?"

"Uuuuhhh…."

Jaune looked over Penny at Ruby and Roland, his expression pleading for some help. Ruby just shrugged her shoulders with a confused and sympathetic expression. Roland shrugged his shoulders as well, though his expression held amusement at Penny's actions, as if he had come to expect this kind of behavior from her. Looking back down at the ginger haired girl with wide, hopeful eyes, Jaune took a deep breath and steeled himself, making up his mind. With the forced confidence of a man lacking decent social skills or significant female reaction, he answered.

"Yeeeaaah…sure, why not! Let's be friends."

Penny's entire face lit up in unrestrained joy. Before Jaune could even blink, his whole body was being crushed and lifted off the ground by the small, yet insanely strong girl from Atlas. Even as most of his circulation was being cut off, the blonde knight couldn't help but wonder how such a tiny girl could lift someone as him, let alone all the bags that she still had on her back.

"ABSOLUTELY GLORIOUS! My first friends! Oh, we can run around town, play video games, pull pranks. It will be the most wonderful of times! And you too, Ruby!"

"Wha-?!"

The girl in red barely had time to react as she too was snatched up in Penny's vicelike hold, swinging alongside Jaune as they both tried desperately to breath.

"I have made two friends in one day! You were right, Roland!"

"Alright, alright…" the cameo clad Atlasian chuckled heartily at the scene as he waved Penny down. "I think your new friends are having a hard time breathing though; you might want to let them down."

"Oh, right!"

Carefully, Penny placed both Jaune and Ruby on the ground, helping them balance on their feet before they wobbled away, panting for breath. After a momentary respite, Ruby turned around and sent Penny a nervous smile, still trying to catch her breath. Penny smiled in complete innocence, too elated at making friends so quickly to even notice the expression.

"Well, friends then, huh? That was a lot easier than I thought it would be."

With a chuckle to break the ice, she turned toward Roland, her nervous expression now holding more confidence.

"Thanks for that; I thought I was going to pop in her grip there for a second."

"Luckily for me," Jaune wheezed out while bent over his knees. "After the airship ride, there wasn't anything left to squeeze out."

"No problem," Roland waved the comment off with a smile. "Penny can get overenthusiastic sometimes, but she's got plenty of love to go around."

"Reminds me of my sister, actually." Jaune stood up, having caught his breath again. "She's got a lot of love but is monstrously strong."

"Hey, mine too! She's really protective and caring, but she could probably punch a hole through those sealed airship doors if she wanted too."

Jaune balked, while Roland looked impressed.

"You're kidding…right?" Jaune asked flatly, feeling intimidate by the image it brought up.

"Nope!" Ruby's innocent but sure answer seemed to make him all the more uncomfortable.

"…Terrifying. Remind me never to tick her off." Glancing at Roland, he immediately clammed up again at the size and visible strength of the green haired young main carrying around the massive, green container.

"Umm, hi. It's a pleasure to meet you. Roland, right?"

"Yep. Jaune?"

"Yeah. Thanks for the save back there." Jaune held his hand out, and Roland gladly took it and shook.

"Don't mention it." He smiled back to Jaune.

"Right."

"Hmm."

"Yep!" Ruby chirped, rocking on her heels.

"Well…uhhh…" Jaune attempted to continue the conversation, but he was at a loss for words.

The awkward exchange quickly devolved into an uncomfortable silence as the conversational momentum was completely halted. Roland, not wanting to let this opportunity go to waist, tried to think of something to talk about. Maybe why they came all this way to beacon? No, wait, to become Huntsmen, of course. Or what about the weather? No, it was obviously a clear day, and would have been a stupid question to ask anyway. It felt like each question he came up with would sound forced and even more awkward.

"Crap," Roland thought, "What can we even talk about? We barely even know each other. Should I just ask them what their hobbies are or something? It would just be easier to fight some grim together first…"

Thankfully, Penny saved them all from the embarrassing void of silence.

"So, Ruby," Penny chimed in, sliding next to her new friend. "What kind of hobbies are you interested in?"

"Oh," Ruby blinked, registering the question before her expression became enthusiastic. "Well, not much to say really. I mean, I like some of the latest music trends in Vale, I sometimes hunt down Grimm for fun…OH! I've also got this thing!"

What Roland witnessed next was a thing of beauty. In one fluid motion, Ruby pulled out her weapon from her lower back, unfolded it in a swift mech-shift transformation, and stabbed the tip of what was now a massive, sectioned, blood-red scythe into the ground at her feet. Rubble kicked up on impact, leaving a small chunk of the walkway visibly scarred. Penny watched and examined the weapon in awe. Jaune jumped back at the impact. Roland just continued to stare at the exotic work of modern weapons engineering that was held before them.

"Woah!" Jaune yelped in surprise. "What the…what is that?"

"This is my baby, Crescent Rose!" Ruby's eyes were wide in excitement. "A mech-shift, high alloy based scythe with a built in, high impact 50 cal. Sniper rifle!"

With every word, her eyes seemed to sparkle with starlight innocence and wonder.

"Wha-huh?" Jaune seemed stupefied by Ruby's words.

"She's saying it's also a gun." Roland's voice had become strangely neutral and quiet, his stare bearing down on the red weapon in the girls hands.

"I got that much," Jaune replied, embarrassment seeping into his tone. "It was…well, just kind of out of nowhere to me…sorry."

"Oh, I guess it was. Sorry!" Ruby lowered her weapon sheepishly. "I'm just a big fan of weapons. I even made Crescent Rose myself! She's my baby." Ruby held the intricate instrument of death affectionately close to her chest.

"I can tell," Roland had inched close while they were talking, kneeling down to look more closely at Crescent Rose's design. "Even with all of its moving parts, the weapon looks like it's sturdy and capable of handling immense forces, high impact, and high speed shifting. Each piece seems to be meticulously custom made and forged. It's a masterpiece."

"Wha-?!" Ruby's cheeks flushed a deep crimson at Roland's compliments and the sudden realization of how close the cerulean haired young man was. "R-really?"

"I work with weapons for a living," he replied straight faced and factually, standing back up with the massive case still slung over his shoulder. "I'm kind of a tinkerer myself. Though I focus more of sturdy, simple design rather than anything meticulous or fancy; I'm just not that good at making it work, though I can admire beautiful designs like yours."

"When you put it like that," Jaune threw in, shifting his gaze between Crescent Rose and the massive metallic block Roland held. "You look like you've got an eye for this kind of stuff."

"Oh yes! Roland has come up with some of the most destructive and enduring weapon designs I've ever seen! Though many of them are less than practical for actual use." Penny smiled brightly as she unknowingly praised and criticized Roland's skill.

"Well I design them mostly for me, so…" The large man scratched his head sheepishly, begrudgingly admitting his flaw.

"Well, thanks! It means a lot to get praise for my baby." Ruby's smile was pure and filled with unabashed pride. "Actually, what do you think of the new T-38 Rocket Propelled Ball & Chain?"

Ruby felt Roland's blank, wide eyed stare bore right into her soul, as if judging every aspect of her very being. With a blink, his lips turned up into an excited grin, the first and most surprising expression of excitement the camo clad hunter had shown since he and Penny left for Beacon.

"Friend, let me tell you everything right with that magnificent feat of engineering…"

V_V_V_V_V_V_V_V_V

Lex could hardly contain his excitement.

The hallways bustled with the shuffling forms of fresh students, the air echoing with the energetic conversations as friends and strangers discussed their arrival, classes, and so forth. It buzzed through the air, reverberated through the floors, and trembled through his very bones; limitless energy born of new possibilities, new horizons, and new bonds. Even knowing that walking up and asking to be friends was probably the least likely way to meet people, the redhead still felt the excitement of his first year reverberate through him as he continued to watch all his future classmates pass by.

It had been a few hours since he ate breakfast. Most of his time before now had been spent touring around the academy grounds lazily or sitting down to catch up on some more reading. As his mind was lost to the world of inner struggle and philosophical dilemmas of the story's hero, he had heard the distant hum of the arriving airship slowly grow more noticeable. Though not exactly the stealthiest individual, the redhead was hiding nearby as the new students poured into the academy, making sure to slip in and blend with everyone else as if he had just arrived as well.

Beacon was like his home, but he still wanted the authentic feel of a newly arrived student among a sea of unfamiliar and bright eyed faces.

Sure, right now wouldn't be the most productive attempt to meet new people with all the students just arriving and already making connections, but there would always be the initiation, his own partner, and his classmates to build that bond. He lazily wove through the traffic of people rushing and trudging past, content on making a round trip through the school before heading to the auditorium. Nice, calm, slow, and comfortable…

Not at all like the blond freight train that crashed into him head on, knocking him to the ground and causing stars to swim in his vision.

"Augh…" Lex gripped his skull as pain flared like a sparked campfire. It wasn't anything like a migraine or headache, but it would definitely leave a dark bruise.

"Oooww! Damnit, that's smarts…" He felt the owner of the voice push off him, the weight on his chest disappearing along with the warm blond hair obscuring his vision. The lingering scent of lavender filled his nostrils. Cracking open an eye, Lex stared up at the attractive blonde who was currently straddling him, rubbing her own forehead and squinting in pain. Lex pushed himself up onto his elbows, squinting up at her.

"It's also a hell of a way to greet someone."

The blonde blinked curiously at Lex's reply, glancing down at his prone form with lilac eyes. With a flick of his wrist, he offered her a mock salute in greeting.

"Yo."

"Woops, my bad!" She jumped up to her feet immediately, offering him a hand in apology.

Taking her hand, Lex was lifted to his feet, mentally noting her strong grip and how easily she lifted him.

"No problem. You in a rush, or…?"

"Nah, I just lost track of some of my friends, so I tried dodging through all these people to catch up. Sorry you turned into my roadblock." Yang waved off the topic nonchalantly.

"S'alright," He smiled in return, shaking their still grasped hands. "The name's Lex Pyrus."

"Yang Xiao Long. Nice to meet ya, Lex!"

Mentally, as they released their handshake, Lex noted happily to himself how he had made his first acquaintance. A very energetic one at that, based on the warmth he felt literally flowing from her body almost constantly. It was almost too obvious how much heat she was putting off compared to most other people he knew; couple that with her previous 'traffic dodging' right into him and her sunny demeanor, Yang's whole self just screamed 'fun times ahead'!

"So, you're a new student too?" Yang eyed him curiously, moving out of the way of a small group passing by.

"Nah," he waved dismissively with his own smile, glancing around the marble carved hallway in admiration. "I just live here."

"Heh, right." She flashed a curious smile while crossing her arms under her chest. "So, which school are you coming from?"

"Marker Combat School!" Lex practically glowed with pride, magnified by the toothy grin plastered across his face. "Harshest combat environment any Huntsman can learn from!"

"Marker, eh?" Yang thought for a moment, trying to remember what she knew about the combat school, before snapping her fingers in realization. "Oh yeah! Signal's poorer cousin school! We've heard about you guys."

"Hey," Lex glared incredulously at the backhanded comment. "Just because it doesn't have the funding for us to make our own high-end, mech-shift weapons doesn't make it any less effective at its job. We've got our own forges, actually, and our weapons are a lot tougher than any multi-sectioned, flimsy rocket-poles Signal usually wastes money on."

"Oh really?" Yang's eyes narrowed in amusement. "Sounds like you guys just get less useful weapons out of the deal. You can't really argue with shotgun gauntlets or rifle spears."

"Really now?" With an amused smirk, Lex leaned forward challengingly. "Maybe you Signal types just don't know how to use your imagination; an exploding mace can be pretty damn versatile in the right hands."

" _This is going well,"_ he thought, letting himself enjoy the back and forth between his new acquaintance. _"Can't believe I'm getting along friendly with someone on our first meeting, that's a first!"_

"As much as I'd like to disagree," Yang shrugged nonchalantly. "My sister could probably list off hundreds of ways it could destroy grim off the top of her head; I'll give you that one."

With an expression of smug victory, Lex hummed pleasingly to himself.

"Well then, your sister sounds like she knows what's up."

"Yeah, but she can think of thousands of ways to use her own weapon. Three words; shifting-sniper-scythe!"

The dumbfounded expression on Lex's face was worth a million words. Disbelief was practically spelled out across his narrow eyed expression, along with what appeared to be a mixture between disgust and awe. Yang would have taken a picture if she had her camera, but alas, the moment would belong only to her memories.

"You're shitting me, really?" Yang grinned even more, shaking her head at his disbelief.

"I mean, its…the practicality…you know what, screw it. I'll give you that one." Lex shook his head incredulously. "Seriously though, I keep hearing about all these intricate weapons, it's just ridiculous. Whatever happened to good ol' swords and spears?"

"They got upgrades, obviously. You should get with the times, man!"

"No thanks, I've got all I need to purge Grimm right here." He tapped the hilt of the weapon strapped to his lower back, hand resting on the ovular, black pommel.

"Well, you'll get the chance to show off during initiation. Speaking of which…" Yang glanced around the hallway, which had rapidly thinned out since she bumped into Lex. "I think we need to be at the atrium soon."

"Oh yeah! Ozpin's going to give his yearly greeting speech. We should get going."

"Yearly?" Yang followed behind the redhead as he began to jog toward the gathering mass of students.

"Yeah," Lex beamed with a genuine smile. He didn't expect his first day to go so well already. Bumping into a new acquaintance and striking up a conversation almost instantly sparked the well of excitement bubbling within. Finally attending beacon, making new friends, looking forward to a bright future; things were finally starting to look up since he graduated Marker.

"Ozpin gives a rousing speech to all the first years to inspire them. It's going to be pretty cool!"


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: So, a LOOOOONG time has passed since I updated the story. Long story short, I'm getting used to working at my company and making mistakes, just got married, got a new apartment, etc. Things are calming down now, but as it is, I'm unsure of how often this story will update. How I originally planned it isn't how it's going to go now, though the route will very much stay the same.**

 **Hopefully I can get some more attention to it.**

 **So, another long chapter, this time covering the final events before the Emerald Forest initiation! I swear, I didn't mean for things to take so long to get to the good parts! I just enjoy writing out the character interaction and dialogue, though I do get stuck sometimes and just get tired of writing the social scenes. Finally, we're getting to the action!**

 **You'll also note that some character interactions still happen, while others do not. They are mild differences that don't have much impact, of course, but they're still something. I'm planning on several divergences from canon, though I'm sticking to some of the main plot points and etc. However, if it becomes too restrictive, I'll be taking this train completely off the rails earlier than planned. Speaking of which…**

 **Fucking bra-vo RoosterTeeth. The first two seasons were more of a guilty pleasure to watch with lots of untapped potential behind it, but even with Monty's death, ya'll stepped up to the plate and delivered one hell of a knockout season, especially with the finale and how things from the past two seasons actually foreshadowed everything (though my only gripe is the Ruby ex machina that took place. Seriously, I'm with Cinder on this one. "WHAT?!"). Thankfully these give me some great ideas for how to approach future events and how to treat certain characters. Including Penny with her…accident.**

 **And especially Ruby. I want her to do more awesome shit.**

 **But as always, let me know what you guys think! Read, review, be brutally honest, give some pointers, etc. Is Regis a decent influential character? Is Roland too boring? What about Lex and his attitude? Glynda and Port's personality?**

 **On to chapter 3!**

 **Chapter 3:**

 **Ignition Spark**

Warm rays of midday sun cascaded through the open roof of the auditorium, illuminating the great room and the crowd within. Though lacking in any form of seating, the hall's main stage stood high enough for even the shortest speaker to be seen from the other end of the building. The decorative monument at the stages rear towered over all; four light blue gems on its decorated surface gleamed a brilliant light blue in the sunlight. It was grandiose as they came, yet somehow retained humility in its simple style.

It was a place that set expectations; grand speeches and rousing declarations of strength were preached upon the sandalwood stage, inspiring generations of students to give their all for the very existence of humanity. Leaders, teachers, and the headmaster himself would be upon this stage at least once every year to fill their hearts with the confidence to move forward and reach for the impossible.

"So why am I here, Glynda?"

Regis stood lazily beside the blonde teacher on the auditorium stage, gazing across the growing sea of students that slowly trickled into the room. He fiddled with a coin in his hand, gently twirling it around and through his fingers with dexterity and grace as he looked on. Multiple colors, wide eyes, bright smiles and unending chatter washed over him in a wave of unfamiliarity. Glynda turned her steely gaze to him in short acknowledgement, before pulling up her clipboard with an exasperated sigh. He almost cringed at her calm but stressed reaction; like she knew what he was feeling but was too tired to deal with it.

"As our newly minted staff member, Ozpin feels it would be best to introduce you upfront to the students." By the tone of her voice, Regis could tell that she didn't agree with the decision one bit.

"Sounds like he wants to show me off. I mean, I'm flattered, but drawing attention to me would make anything I do for him a little more…" He rubbed his chin, thinking of the right words. "Difficult."

"Well, you're not willing to drop your project and go Qrow, are you?" Glynda gave the cerulean haired woodsman a deadpan stare. "Like it or not, you have a high profile, and unless you decided to disappear off the face of Remnant, asking you for low-key help would be highly unproductive."

"Touché," he replied, shrugging his shoulders in acceptance. Looking over the students again, Regis couldn't help but feel way out of his depth. All those faces, those smiles, those eyes filled with excitement and hope; it was very different from the proud determination, knowledge, and hopeful smiles from the people who joined the Expansion. The kids were much more green than the people he usually dealt with.

"Way too green."

"Hmm?" Glynda lifted an eyebrow to that, turning her attention from the checklist in her hands.

"I'm not used to groups this young or squeaky clean. I've only really worked with trained Huntsmen and regular settlers; people who know their limits or know they're limited, respectively. But young, naïve Huntsmen in training?" He shook his head uncertainly. "I really don't think I'll be a good influence…"

"Huntsmen will teach them to be Huntsmen," Glynda replied, giving him a look that almost seemed sympathetic. "You just need to teach them how to survive."

"Right, teach them to survive; all on top of running errands for Ozzy and managing the Expansion from a long distance. Not much at all." Regis replied sarcastically, chuckling lightly as he flipped the coin in the air and caught it again.

"And I have to deal with hormonal, aura-powered, dust wielding teenagers while balancing Ozpin, Oobleck, and Port's…eccentricities on a constant basis." Her voice was dripping with sarcasm as she began checking off her list again. "Not to mention the paperwork."

Regis actually cringed at that.

"Damn, double touché. Remind me never to compare headaches with you."

In a rare moment, she allowed a proud smile to grace her lips.

"You would do well not to vent with me. I've always had the upper ha-"

As she scanned across the crowd, Glynda's gaze landed upon something familiar, cutting her off mid-sentence. Her expression suddenly shifted to one of thoughtful recognition in the silence between her and Regis, who noticed the sudden shift in the strict disciplinarian's demeanor. For Regis, seeing THE Glynda Goodwitch allow her composure to slip was a rare sight, one that usually entailed annoyed outbursts or dismissive declarations. Following her gaze, he was greeted by the sight of a young man with messy, unkempt hair of deep crimson and bright, emerald eyes talking to a young bombshell of a woman as they jogged into the auditorium.

Between his looks and Glynda's reaction, Regis's eyes lit up in recognition.

"So that's him?"

Glynda's naturally strict expression returned to her features, swift and stiff as a spring snapping back. The look she gave him was sharp and lacking any unprofessional air. The lighting speed with which she reacted to his question was the most obvious signal to NOT take this topic lightly. Even as he kept his mouth shut and waited for her response, she seemed to think for a moment or two before answering.

"Yes." She replied curtly. Regis nodded in response.

"I couldn't believe it when I first heard you took on a protégé; it's kind of strange seeing that he's actually real."

He raised his hands in a peaceful gesture at her sudden, cold glare.

"Kidding, kidding! But honestly, can you blame me when I've never seen him?"

"There was never a need to bring him along to the frontier," she replied defensively. "Was it really so unimaginable that I would take someone under my care?"

"You want me to answer that truthfully?"

He smiled at her intensified glare, though a slight chill ran down his spine.

"Just…make sure you watch over him if I can't."

Regis paused at the irritated yet strained tone in Glynda's voice. She was never one to let softer emotion slip through, opting to uphold her strict and intimidating attitude most of the time. But to see her slip up not once, but twice when it involved someone like the young man in question. There was obviously a connection there, but he opted to not push that line of questioning; she cared for the kid, that much was obvious. This was the least he could do...

"I think I can manage that."

After receiving a curt, grateful nod, Regis returned his attention to the crimson haired huntsman and his busty acquaintance, as well as the new group entering the area…

"I'm telling you Roland, the MK-IV Sub-Tonfa are solid, close-to-mid range weaponry! The solid build along with their high rate of fire make them absolutely devastating in a competent huntress' hands."

"And I'm telling YOU Ruby, those are pea shooters meant for person-on-person combat. I'd rather have a weapon with an accurate, single round killing potential rather than a flimsy pair of spray-and-pray batons, especially against Grimm."

"But Roland, weren't you designing a high fire rate gatling cannon before we left for Beacon?"

"Wait, you were designing a gatling cannon?"

The teal haired soldier smiled calmly in reply, shooting Ruby a knowing look. The whole time they strolled toward the seat-less auditorium, he and crimson caped girl had been talking non-stop about weaponry of all kinds, ranging from comparing knowledge on the subject to opinions on certain weaponry. For the first time since he left Atlas, Roland felt familiar around the dark haired huntress who shared in his affinity.

"The GAC-2 fires 30-mm rounds at 2,000 rounds a minute, is decently accurate at long range, and each round can tear lunchbox sized holes in grim. It's hardly a spray-and-pray."

"Wha-2,000 per minute? 30 millimeter rounds?! Why would you design something like that, and why haven't I thought of it yet?!"

Behind them, Penny bounced along beside a weary looking Jaune, her ginger hair bobbing with each light step. She smiled innocently at the talk of weaponry capable of shredding steel and melting bedrock, while the weary blonde beside her stared at the two weapon lovers with increasing discomfort.

"I am so lost…"

"Do not worry Jaune, I am not an expert on weaponry the same way Ruby and Roland are. I understand how you feel!"

Jaune stared at the green clad girl incredulously, though he offered her a smile. At the very least, she seemed to be cheering him up, whether or not it was true.

"Then why do you look so at home with it all?"

"Oh, I have grown used to it after hearing Roland explain the intricate details of weaponry before. Besides, seeing friends have a heated, technical discussion is always fun, isn't it?"

"Hehe…yeah. Fun…" He lowered his head wearily, completely confused by the girl's high cheer and the increasingly technical conversation. They were nice enough and he enjoyed Ruby and Penny's quirky nature, but after only a minute of the strange conversation Jaune felt out of his depth.

Thankfully, Penny noticed this, along with hid downtrodden expression.

"Oh, I'm so sorry Jaune!" The ginger girl's sudden outburst caught all three of them by surprise, most of all Jaune. "How rude of me! I never asked you what YOU were interested in!"

"Oh, you're right!" Ruby perked up in realization, turning around and holding up her hands in apology. "Sorry, I kind of get carried away when I talk about weaponry; weapon geek and all that. Though I am curious, what are you interested in?"

"Ah, um…" The scraggly blonde's voice fumbled, not expecting the sudden shift in conversation toward him. He was grateful for their consideration, of course, but now he just felt awkward at inadvertently shifting focus to him.

"Well…" He scrambled for what would be a good hobby to talk about, not wanting to cause any more awkward conversation or embarrassment.

"I…like reading comics?" He silently cursed himself the moment those words left his mouth.

"Oh," Ruby replied, her tone unsure. "That's…pretty cool."

"I mean…uh," the blond desperately tried to salvage the embarrassing flop. "I like stories in general, you know? Superheroes, magic, chivalrous knights, things like that."

"OH!" Ruby repeated, this time with more enthusiasm. "Me too! I'm more into the older fairytales myself."

Jaune allowed a relaxed smile to grace his expression; at least NOW he had some familiar ground with someone. Yeah, it was kind of immature of them, but it felt nice to know someone who still enjoyed the fairytales they heard as children. With his eyes giving her clothing a quick sweep, the blonde knight couldn't help but realize the obvious.

"Let me guess; your favorite is the one about Red Hood and the Great Wolf?" He couldn't help but chuckle at Ruby's ecstatic look of surprised.

"How did you know?!" She gasped, hands pressed to her cheeks dramatically.

"Oh, just a wild guess…"

She blinked in sudden realization, whirling around and glancing at her cape and laced attire, before pinning him with an adorable pout. Jaune just smiled back, finding her embarrassment cute. Roland glanced back, quirking his lips in amusement with his own deep chuckle. Between the two of them, Ruby tried desperately to keep up her pouty expression, but after a moment of internal struggle, she finally lost the battle to the smile that broke out across her face, followed by her own giggles of amusement.

"I suppose it's pretty obvious, huh?"

Even as the three shared a moment of innocent amusement, Penny looked on with a forced smile and a curious quirk of her brow.

" _I don't get it…"_ She thought, not understanding what should obviously be a joke she missed.

But before she could ask about the story, they arrived at the entrance of the auditorium. The cacophony of hundreds of students chattering in excitement suddenly overwhelmed the small group as they passed the threshold of the noise numbing structure. It looked like most of the new arrivals were there already and they were the last stragglers to step foot inside the massive, open roof building.

"Oh woah, fancy!" Ruby claimed, her eyes drinking in the environment with excited glee.

"Yeah…this is something else for sure." Jaune replied, his nerves starting to return.

"I'll admit; it's got more aesthetic than some of our Atlesian architecture." Roland nodded in respect.

"RUBY! I saved you a spot!"

Closer to the stage, Yang was waving her arm to grab her sister's attention.

"Oh, that's my sister! Sorry, gotta go guys, catch you later!"

The next instant, Ruby was gone in a flash of rose petals. The three of the remaining acquaintances blinked in surprise ate Ruby's sudden departure, a veil of silence settling over them. With the one source of familiarity having disappeared, Roland suddenly lost interest in their conversation, opting to focus back on himself and Penny.

"Hn, right. Let's find a spot where we can see better, Penny." He began to walk off without so much as a goodbye to the blond knight. Penny could see him visibly wilt at the lack of acknowledgment, reminding herself to scold her teal haired friend later. Patting the armored hunter on the shoulder affectionately, she smiled brightly at him.

"Sorry Jaune. Roland doesn't mean to be rude; we'll catch up again later, alright?" She skipped off after her partner, calling back over her shoulder. "It was a pleasure meeting you!"

And like that, Jaune was alone.

"Well," he sighed in exasperation, "At least she wants to meet up again later. But what are the chances I'll find another quirky girl to talk to?"

As Jaune trudged off with an interested pair of eyes on his back, Ruby was meeting up with her sister and the crimsonette beside her. Lex glanced curiously at Ruby from behind Yang, who had sparingly mentioned in their conversations that her little sister was attending as well. He had a small inkling of Ozpin's whimsical decisions from Glynda's small rants about the headmaster, but Lex never thought the man would ever allow a young girl to jump **two years** ahead and straight into the more advanced Huntsmen schools. Even so, Yang didn't seem to mind one bit, a bright smile blooming across her face at her sister's presence.

"Heeeyyy~! How's your first day going little sis!"

"You mean since you ditched me and I exploded?" Ruby's glare would have been venomous if it weren't so adorably pouty.

"Wow, meltdown already?"

"No, I mean I **literally** exploded! There was fir-"

"Wait a sec, that was you?" Lex's eyes widened in realization, interrupting the young girl mid rant.

"Wait, you saw?" She almost whined, thinking someone else saw her embarrassing fumble.

"Wait, you're serious?" Concern spread across the flowing blonde's face.

"I was near the entrance of the school when I heard it, but I was pretty far away," he shrugged in response. "A few people were saying someone got caught up with a Schnee girl's dust collection or something. You alright?"

"I'm fine, thanks." She calmed down a little, shoulders sagging with annoyance. "At the least, there were some nice people around. I mean, they were a little weird and awkward, but so was I, so it was kind of nice. We even started talking about weapon specs and stories an-"

"Woah, wait, you really exploded?!" Yang interrupted, causing Ruby to glare again.

"Well, yeah! I tripped over some crabby girl's luggage, she yelled, I sneezed and exploded, she yelled some more, and just wouldn't stop yelling at me and giving me this ugly look and-"

"YOU!" Wiess interrupted from behind the poor girl.

"OH GOD IT'S HAPPENING AGAIN!" Ruby jumped and clung to her sister desperately.

"Oh my God, you actually exploded, didn't you?" Yang had finally accepted the ridiculous situation at the appearance of the crabby girl in question.

"I swear it was an accident!" Ruby's eyes started welling up, looking like a kicked puppy who just couldn't get away. "I honestly didn't mean to blow us up, really!"

"Woah, calm down, it's alright!" Lex jumped in, holding up his hands in a placating gesture to calm down the distressed girl. The poor kid seemed at her wits end with the white haired Schnee in question, winding up the already tensed atmosphere around her. It was a bit overwhelming, even for him.

"Honestly, it's not that bad, Ruby. You're overreacting."

"We nearly got blown off the side of the cliff!" Weiss argued, turning her ire toward him.

"Geez, take it easy! All I'm saying is that ya'll are alright, right? Besides, not many people are familiar with how to handle or avoid accidents with raw dust."

"Hmph, everyone should know how dangerous raw dust can be if handled improperly. It's part of becoming a Huntress, afterall." She waived a dainty hand dismissively, as if his opinion wasn't worth considering; it did a good job of pissing him off, even as he clamped down on that little inferno.

"Well, not everyone is a Dust Caster like you, lady."

"Wha? Wait, how did you know?" Weiss was caught off guard; as far as she knew, she had never met this boy with the mop of red hair before. It baffled her that he would know anything even remotely available about her fighting style. Her eyes suddenly narrowed in suspicion…

"Because who hauls personal dust containers if they aren't using it all for casting? Only casters use so much raw dust or really know how to handle it safely." He raised an eyebrow, wondering what the look on her face meant. He could understand she was irritated, but she looked at him like some kind of criminal.

She kept glaring at Lex for a moment, who responded by keeping his eyebrow raised in confusion. Relenting, Weiss sighed and let her irritation bleed out, reaching behind her dress and pulling out a pamphlet labeled "Dust for Dummies". She leveled a blank stare at Ruby, who was lowering herself to the ground as the situation began to calm down.

"Listen, you really want to make it up to me?"

"Absolutely…" Ruby spoke tentatively, a sliver of hope in her voice.

Shoving the pamphlet into Ruby's hands, the Schnee heiress replied, "Then read this and don't ever talk to me again."

Yang bristled a little at the comment, seeing the strange venom of the albino haired girl as a rude and unwarranted reaction to some kind of misunderstanding. She looked over to the redhead next to her, thankful for his attempts to disarm the situation before it became more hectic; she felt happy with her new acquaintance's willingness to de-escalate the situation, though as her eyes fell upon his expression, she felt as if she had thought so too soon.

Lex, though keeping his mouth shut, did nothing to hide the deep scowl etching itself into his expression.

His thoughts echoed the scowling expression. _"What the hell is her problem? Seriously, the kid's just trying to make up for an accident…"_

Deciding to disarm the situation herself before Lex lost his patience too, Yang stepped in between her sister and the dainty spitfire. "Look, you guys probably just got off on the wrong foot. Why don't you try starting over?"

Ruby, who had been crestfallen at the Schnee girl's rejection, brightened up at her sister's suggestion. "Yeah, great idea sis!"

Lex took in a deep breath and sighed, listening as the girl attempted to start things over with Weiss. He appreciated Yang's similar attempt to disarm the situation; the white haired girl was really starting to grate on his nerves. It wasn't so much that he couldn't stand people being crabby or irritated or throwing a tantrum, though he still had a hard time with such individuals, but the way the heiress acted just seemed like an aggressive attempt to lash out for the smallest infractions. So what if she was angry, why couldn't she just calm down when someone was trying to be sincere?

At least with his and Yang's advice, along with Ruby's suggestion to shop for school supplies together, she'd be hard pressed to be any more of a-

"Yeah, and we can paint our nails, and try on clothes, and talk about cute boys! Like tall blonde and scraggly over there." Weiss punctuated her comment, voice absolutely dripping with sarcasm, by pointing over to Jaune from across the crowd.

Sarcasm. It had to be sarcasm. Of the few things that set him off like dynamite, sarcasm was at the very top of his list, right next to arrogance. His eyebrow visibly twitched while his scowl seemed to etch even deeper into his features, eyes closed in a poor attempt to concentrate on not getting pissed off. If the overly forced and high pitched statement wasn't enough to make his ears bleed out and cause him to grind his teeth together, then the next statement was surely what set the fiery redhead off.

"Or dark, brooding, and messy over here~." Weiss continued in her parodic voice, motioning a hand toward none other than himself.

Lex didn't exactly enjoy being a jackass.

But sometimes, people would just take a hammer to his jackass button.

"Christ, what did you have this morning, Frost Fairy? Instant Bi-?!"

 ***TAP, TAP, TAP***

The sharp, high pitched tapping of the mic cut him off before he could finish the insult, grabbing everyone's attention as all eyes shifted back to the stage. Ozpin stood poised before the mic, signature coffee and cane in hand, looking over the sea of heads meeting his gaze.

For all his irritation and anger, Lex let his temper swiftly drop, sending the Albino haired girl one last little glare. She returned it in kind, scrunching up her nose at him before gracefully twirling to face the stage, allowing a small 'humph' to escape her lips. With the assault on his patience finally passed, Lex turned his attention to the headmaster himself, replacing the burning annoyance with bubbling enthusiasm. His blood pumped excitedly in his veins as he opened and closed his hands in anticipation. This had been the moment he was waiting for! His first official day of his first official year at Beacon Academy, where he would learn to hone his body, mind, and skills to their fullest potential; to become a Grimm slayer the likes of which Remnant had never seen. And it all started with an uplifting, heroic, yet calmly wise speech from the Oz-man himself!

He could barely contain his excitement as Ozpin began to speak.

"I'll keep this brief…"

[Beacon Academy, Ballroom]

Lex could barely hide his despair.

It was night time already, several hours after the initiation speech, and most of the students had gathered their belongings and set up their sleeping bags in the ballroom. Even though people were getting ready for bed, preparing themselves for the full on initiation tomorrow, the energy was high and everyone was staying up later to talk, or in the case of some of the more hormonal guys, to try and impress everyone with shirtless displays of chiseled muscle and toned abs. Like everyone else, he was filled with energy and jittery about tomorrow's challenge, but he was in such a state for a different reason.

Ozpin's speech was not exactly the most 'inspiring'.

" _WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!"_ He screamed internally, fiddling with a few of the items in his sack. His fingers twitched with fear and reluctance, making it hard to grasp the item he was looking for. He couldn't actually yell out loud, but he was certainly letting a rant continuously echo through his mind.

"Wasted energy _?! Seriously, Ozpin, what the hell?!"_

During Ozpin's pathetic excuse for a speech, the silver haired headmaster punctuated the point of his ramble when he locked eyes directly with Lex, **right** as he spoke of those specific words, as if to challenge the thought that his struggles and growth had been meaningful. Not only that, but the rest of his speech was just as abysmal, barely uplifting at all and more insulting to the struggles of the students that had made it so far already. Lex would have normally been annoyed at the headmaster's speech, if he wasn't suddenly gripped by the self-doubt Ozpin left him with.

" _But he didn't say anything before, and I'm sure Glynda or Ozpin himself would tell me if I wasn't living up to potential…"_

Lex tried to calm himself with rational thought, though it only succeeded in confusing the young Huntsman even more. If it wasn't a criticism directed at him, what was it? The headmaster had just taken Lex's first day, allowed him to get comfortable, mingle, relax, and enjoy the growing excitement of the other newly arrived students…and then proceeded to trample on it with two simple, destructive words.

Wasted. Energy.

Suffice to say, after the speech, the cerulean haired man, who Lex barely payed any attention to, had taken a step forward and given a small speech of his own. Unfortunately for Lex, he couldn't comprehend the speech over the sound of his mind racing in panic, nor could he recognize how everyone else seemed to calm down as the somber mood lifted from the crowd. He barely registered Ruby and Yang's goodbyes, barely lifting up a hand in recognition. After a few moments, when most everyone else filed out of the room, Lex finally willed himself to move to the locker rooms to get changed, trying to clear his mind of the sudden shift in his mood.

It wasn't exactly working.

" _Dammit, where the hell is it!"_ He let the curse slipped through bared teeth, barely loud enough be understood as anything more than a grumble. He was looking through his pack determinedly, irritation gripping him again as he sorted through the jumbled mess inside. He made a mental note to fold his clothes more neatly before packing…

"You think he's alright?" Ruby glanced over at the redhead from where she and her sister were laying down, breaking concentration away from her current diary entry. Her expression dropped in somber worry, watching as the irate crimsonette sifted through his bag with increasing desperation.

She didn't know exactly what to think of him, except that he seemed to be a fair person, and that he knew a lot about Dust. Then again, she was thankful for his intervention when the verbal assault machine that was Weiss Schnee continued to hound her for her mistake, making him a good person in her book. It was welcoming and warm that a complete stranger decided to stick up for her, even though it brought the snow haired girl's ire down on him as well. She would have to thank him properly the next time they talked to each other…

" _As well as actually introduce myself,"_ she mentally berated.

"He did seem a little shaken up for some reason," Yang agreed, laying with her head propped up in her hand. "I mean, it wasn't like the 'epic speech' Ozpin gave was absolutely horrible, but I can see how it didn't meet his expectations."

" _Even though it was just strange how he seemed to go catatonic…"_ she thought.

"Yeah…" Ruby wasn't completely sold. "But didn't he hear Regis' speech after that? I thought it was pretty inspirational."

"Maybe he didn't.'" Yang agreed, lying on her back to look up at the ceiling. "Or maybe he was hoping to hear those words from Ozpin himself, instead of someone else…"

Yang couldn't completely understand what was eating the redhead, but she could sympathize a little; it was hard to not hear the words you needed to hear from the person who needed to say them. Sometimes the message itself just wasn't enough. It was probably even more difficult when the person in question was actually _present_ …

Shooing away the unhealthy thought before it could grow, Yang focused attention back on her sister. The small Huntress-In-Training was currently letting her inner fan-girl out at the mention of the cerulean haired woodsman, causing the billowy blondes lips to curl into a bright smile. After the sobering debacle with the Schnee heiress, Ruby didn't have as much excitement to fully react when they all realized who was going to be teaching their survival studies. But now…

"OH MY GOD! Speaking of which…" Ruby spun and sat up straight, pajama clad legs crossing under each other while holding her fists tightly to her chest. "I mean, coverage on the Great Expansion may have died down in the media lately, but it's pretty amazing that Regis 'Wind-Razer' Keller is going to be one of our teachers this year…"

Yang rolled her eyes in amusement, "I've heard _plenty_ about him from you, Ruby. Hell, we heard plenty from the wind-man himself."

"Exactly!" Ruby emphasized, looking as if she was about to squeal. "I can't wait to hear more speeches from him!"

"I completely agree!" A familiar, chipper tone replied from behind Ruby, its sudden burst of energetic glee catching the two sisters by surprise. Turning around, Ruby's expression morphed to one of elation, smiling brightly at the reappearance of her new friend.

"Penny!"

The copper haired girl returned the bright smile. "Hello Ruby! It's good to see you again."

"Same here!" Turning to her sister, Ruby continued. "Yang, this is Penny! She's one of the friends I told you about."

"Well, hey there!" Yang sat up, holding out her hand towards Penny in a friendly greeting. "The name's Yang Xiao Long, Penny! Pleased to meet ya!"

"The pleasure is mine."

Penny returned the gesture and shook the blonde's hand, who took note of how the small girl had an incredibly firm, almost tensile-like grip. Yang prided herself on her massive strength and destructive potential, so she was thoroughly surprised, though impressed, by the steely handshake from such a dainty looking girl. It was enough to make her split a grin.

"Nice grip, kid. Also, thanks for helping out my sister after that explosion; you're a good egg!"

"Egg?" The painfully honest curiosity of her expression was enough to give Ruby and Yang both pause. "I'm a…good egg?"

It seemed Penny didn't understand exactly what Yang was saying.

"Uhhh…" Yang glanced toward her sister, baffled at how she should react.

"Umm…" To Ruby's credit, though just as caught off guard, she managed to recover more quickly as she turned to her sister with a nervous smile. "Like I said, a little awkward…"

She quickly caught herself, realizing how careless a statement she made, and frantically waved her hands at the copper haired girl to keep her from feeling insulted **"Not that there's anything wrong with that because I am too!"** She suppressed a groan at her own slip up, berating herself for yet another slip up.

After standing there for a moment or two with a blank expression, Penny's eyes widened in sudden recognition, plopping a fist into her open palm as she exclaimed, "OH, it's a figure of speech!"

The small area they occupied became a void of utter silence surrounded, by a sea of tidal chatter and conversation. After a few more moments passed by, the silence and tension surrounding them was broken; Ruby sighed in relief, Yang looked on in confusion, and Penny just smiled happily, having guessed correctly what the blonde was saying.

"Anyway, Penny, where's Roland?" Ruby scanned the sea of bodies laying down, spotting neither the teal haired Atlesian or his massive green container. "He's not exactly a hard person to miss."

"He is prepping equipment for tomorrow's initiation, so he's commandeered a corner of the locker rooms to work. He usually stays up late making sure everything's in order; it is a hobby of his, so to speak."

Yang raised an eyebrow in disbelief while cutting in, "Really? Odd hobby, if you ask me."

"Some would say getting into bar fights is an odd hobby, Yang." Ruby's smirk was devious while she called out her sister.

"Oh come on, that was ONE time!"

Ruby ignored Yang and continued, nodding in understanding, "It's always calming for me to polish and fix Crescent Rose, so it's probably the same for him."

Yang waved it off, dismissing the topic, "Well, he can work on his weapons all night long, as long as he doesn't wake me up."

In a dimly lit corner of the locker room, the large young man in question held a flashlight in his mouth, illuminating the weapon held in his lap and the pieces he dismantled from it. In the silent echo of the cool, tiled room, even the faintest clicks and clinks could be heard as Roland gingerly unhooked and slid each component out with the utmost grace and care, lowering them onto a towel laid out to the side. With the last piece disconnected, he pulled a neatly folded, oiled rag from his other side, picked up the first piece on the cloth, and began to clean out the grit and dust with mechanical efficiency.

Even though the act brought him calm satisfaction and helped him feel more prepared for the next day's trials, he felt a sudden and unexpected twitch in his nose.

" _Achk!"_ A sneeze ripped through Roland's nostrils, giving him momentary pause to his delicate work. The room was silent as he blinked in surprise; clearly it hadn't been allergy season yet, had it?

With a shrug of his shoulders, the Atlesian went back to his work…

"He doesn't like leaving our equipment unattended, so he'll sleep in there tonight."

Yang shook her head incredulously, "Weird guy. So you two came here together then?"

Her smile filled with warmth, Penny nodded in affirmation, "Oh yes. Roland and I have worked closely together in Atlas the past few years."

"Oh~?" Yang's lips suddenly split into a mischievous grin, her interest piqued. Ruby knew that grin; either Yang would say something embarrassing, or make an absolutely terrible pun.

"So, exactly how close are you two~?"

"AAAaanyway!" Ruby suddenly perked up, desperate to change the subject before Yang could make any more embarrassing comments. "How about that speech, huh?!"

"Oh, right!" Copper locks bobbed up and down as Penny nodded happily to Ruby, completely oblivious of Yang's innuendo. "I felt it was most inspiring…"

From there, Penny, Ruby, and Yang continued to talk amongst themselves, their conversations becoming more animated as the night went on…

[Teacher's Lounge]

"I must admit, that was a smashing save, Regis!" Peter Port's thick hand clapped the cerulean haired woodsman on the back, causing him to lean forward in his stool at the force of the strike.

"Reminds me of the time I gave a speech to that outlying village of farmers; we were about to be swarmed by Ursas at any moment, and I had to give the most desperately rousing speech of my life. Let me tell you, you'd never _seen_ a plow or shovel used with such affective brutality against the Grimm!"

Rubbing his back, Regis turned to give Port a tired smile; currently the both of them, along with Glynda, were sitting at the bar in the academy's restricted break room while Dr. Oobleck and Prof. Peach were taking shifts watching over the students. Ozpin had stalked up to his office, disappearing for the rest of the day, leaving the remaining three head staff members to relax and enjoy a casual drink with each other.

"Trust me, Port, I've seen someone kill an Alpha with a _tree branch_ before. You'd be surprised at what someone without Aura, weapons, and armed only with a will to survive can do."

It was a drain to be around the…portly man at times, especially whenever he decided to dive into his eccentric tales of youthful escapades and self-aggrandizing battles. Contrary to popular belief, Port's stories weren't actually boring, like what his freshmen believe; it's just that the man's energy was so overwhelming at times that one felt drained after hearing several tales in a row. Though this didn't detract from the appeal of his stories and the lessons he always hid within them…

"But anyway, it was nothing. Sometimes you have to tell people harsh truths, but at the least they should have a hint of inspiration or hope to them. What's the point otherwise?"

"Exactly my boy, and that's one of the reasons you'll make a great teacher," Port nodded sagely. "Motivating the students is half of the job, after all. If they don't want to learn, then how much of what you teach will they actually hold onto?"

"…Huh." He hadn't thought about that before. As long as the students wanted to learn, then the subjects wouldn't be that hard to teach? It sounded almost too simple to work, though there was a lick of sense to the pudgy man's words.

"Indeed, it sounds almost too simple! Really, the difficult part of teaching is dealing with the students and their mood swings, hormones-"

"Along with the special-snowflakes who think they're better or more important than anyone else. Those ones are the worst." Glynda perked up in exasperation, from where she sat beside Regis, cradling her crystalline glass as she leaned on the counter. "My advice; make sure you smack them around a little to put them in their place. That way they know just how _special_ they really are."

"…well, now I know why you teach combat class, Glynda." Regis replied, smiling at the cross look she sent his way. Port hummed sagely in response, raising his own glass to his two companions.

"Just remember, if you need any advice or assistance, come to us! No teacher here works alone."

Nodding gratefully, the woodsman returned his attention to the countertop, where his hands fiddled with a 50 lien coin; twirling it, flipping it through his fingers, and spinning it on the counter top. It was a small habit he picked up over the years, one that helped him pass the time or sort through his thoughts.

The thing was, Regis had a hard time figuring out exactly what happened on the stage during Ozpin's speech. Usually, Ozpin had words of encouragement and wisdom for others when he needed to give them; the woodsman heard a few of them himself, as well as directly received some before. It wasn't like Ozpin to be so…absent from his own speech; unlike most times, his recent address to the students felt like he was barely putting much of his heart into it. It just…

"Feels wrong, honestly," he concluded, his expression sobering. "Ozpin seemed pretty absentminded. Glynda, you know what's eating him?"

"Honestly," came her tired reply, "He's had a lot of things to think about lately. Enrollment issues, misfiled paperwork, and so on. You know how he is; always pulling multiple strings and guiding things along the way he always does." She swirled her glass, eyes trailing the liquid as it glided across the smooth surface within. Her eyes hardened, remembering the look on a certain redhead's face, and her voice became harsher.

"Even so, I've been taking care of a lot of the workload as well. The one time he needed to make an appearance today, he couldn't even fake something inspirational?" Exasperation poured from her tone, clearly more unimpressed than she was letting on.

Port chuckled heartily, his mustache twitching as he spoke, "Well Glynda, even someone as poised and in control as Ozpin isn't perfect. I'm sure he'll make mistakes from time to time as well!"

"This coming from the man who thought capturing and showing an Alpha to students would be a 'safe' idea." Glynda's glare could've melted steel in that instant. "We're only just finishing up the cleanup of the Western wing's hallway, no thanks to you. You're lucky that the only things destroyed were everything **other** than the students."

Port visibly deflated at the reminder. "Please, Ms. Goodwitch, give me _some_ credit; I personally helped with most of the repairs, remember?"

"Still doesn't erase the fact that it's your fault."

Regis and Port visibly cringed at the barbed statement, echoing each other's sentiment in one voice.

"Ruthless."

Ignoring their synchronized comment, Glynda decided to change the subject, "In either case, you should probably finish moving in and get some sleep, Mr. Keller. We'll need your keen eye and senses tomorrow during the Emerald Forest initiation. We're very concerned about the current number of Grimm in the area, so we want you in peak condition."

One of his first assignments as an instructor, and one he accepted eagerly. With the lower level of huntsmen scouting the forest, the population of Grimm had grown steadily over the past few years, making each initiation harder than the last. With the estimated number this year, Ozpin felt it best for at least one or two huntsmen to be on alert at all times in the area in case students were somehow overwhelmed. It was, in his opinion, easier than the prospect of actually teaching a course on survival.

He would enjoy it while it lasted.

Rising from his seat at the bar, he waved to Glynda and Port on his way out, "Right, I'd best get some shut eye. G'night you two."

As Regis opened the door to step through, he was stopped by Glynda's voice.

"Ozpin might not have told you himself…" Her voice was calm, though still held the same professional tone as always. "But he's grateful for what you said to everyone, Regis. It means a lot to u-…him, that you tried to inspire the students like that."

V

" _You will all be sleeping in the Ballroom tonight, and tomorrow your initiation begins in full."_

 _Glynda wanted to frown, or scowl in some sense, but pushed it aside in favor of doing her job; being the only serious and professional instructor out of the school's entire staff, at least in her opinion. She knew why Ozpin was tired, and that with the delicate matters their small group had to deal with, it was no surprise that his performance in front of the students wasn't optimal. She caught a glimps of Lex in the crowd again, and while his peers were confused and unimpressed with the speech, the redhead looked incredibly worried; which was unfortunate, as he was obviously looking forward to the speech since yesterday._

 _But that was neither here nor there, and though she wanted to say something, she knew she wasn't the best at heartfelt speeches._

" _Before you all file out, however, allow me to introduce our newest instructor for the year. Mr. Keller, if you would?"_

" _Yeah, no problem." Regis nodded calmly, walking up to the microphone as Glynda stepped off to the side. He had a feeling he was going to be introducing himself, rather than have someone else do it; Ozpin had the habit of getting others to do his work for him, and the blonde instructor next to him was more of a hands-on individual rather than a speaker. Leaning into the microphone, Regis cleared his throat and spoke._

" _Hello?_ _"_

 _The speakers barely carried his voice across the mass of students, forcing them to strain their ears and causing the woodsman no small amount of embarrassment. It seemed like he was too far away from the device for his words to be properly carried. Clearing his throat again, he leaned in closer to the device, speaking up even louder to make sure it carried._

" _Good afte-!_ _"_

 _The students cringed at the booming noise of his amplified words, those closest to the loud speakers crying out and covering their ears in pain. The whole auditorium shook from the concussive force; even Regis cringed, literally feeling the force of the air vibrating through his head. Turning to the blonde and silver haired duo to his side, the only response to his sheepish expression was Ozpin adjusting his glasses and an irritated Glynda messaging her temple. With a better bearing of the device, he continued._

" _Sorry folks, I'm used to speaking without one of these things; feels more natural that way."_

 _With a deep breath, he kept moving forward with a fairly calm and informal tone, "Alright, so...as you may be aware, I'm Regis Keller, and I'll be your instructor for Advanced Survival Techniques this semester. From what Ozpin's told me, you've only had rudimentary survival classes available so far, such as basic Survival 101 or some worthless crap like that. Now, from what I've seen of those classes, they teach you the necessary basics, and they're a good base to start out with."_

 _The informal tone disappeared, and suddenly the experience and hardened survivor within manifested._

" _But by themselves, they're shit. You need more than the 'rudimentary' to survive longer than a few seconds out there. In this new course, I'll be doing more than just teaching you to survive, I'll be SHOWING you how to survive; you'll be LIVING survival, you won't even have to THINK about survival, and every little task you perform will be out of pure INSTINCT. Ozpin's right when he says that knowledge can only take you so far; knowledge without practice is shit. By the time I'm done with you lot, you won't need supplies, weapons, shelter, or even DUST to survive in Grimm territory for weeks on end!"_

 _A sea of silence stood before him, wide eyes filled with wonder and spirit at the words that washed over them._

 _He allowed a small grin to split his lips, "Trust me, it may be a fight for survival out there, and many may lose that battle each day. But now we're preparing you for that fight, so you can outlast anything this busted world throws at you! I look forward to working with everyone here."_

 _As he stepped back, allowing Glynda to issue directions to the mass of students, Regis was hit with a collective sigh from the crowd; not a depressed or tired sigh, but one of relief. The energetic mood quickly returned for most everyone, dissipating most of the negativity that was brewing beforehand._

V

"I appreciate it Glynda. Admittedly, I kind of enjoy giving out those grandiose speeches Ozpin is so fond of." Regis looked back to her and Port, giving them a mock salute as he stepped out into the hallway.

"I'll see you guys at initiation," He finished, closing the door and leaving the two teachers by themselves. From there, he strode down to his room, pulling out a pair of earbuds from beneath his jacket...

"Hey, is it alright if I sit down here?"

Blake's day was fairly uninteresting so far, all things considered. Though she fought tooth and nail to sneak her way into Beacon Academy with forged documents, and even with the small explosive event involving some unfortunate girl and the Schnee heiress herself, the rest of the day had been just what she expected for a first day at a huntsmen academy. There was the trip to the academy, plenty of students who tried to talk to her but quit after realizing she wasn't interested, the admittedly strange speech from the headmaster, and finally settling down for the night and preparing for the main event the next day. Feeling she had avoided any unnecessary engagements, the dark haired beauty pulled out the novel she was currently engrossed in, lit a few candles, and continued the tale from where she left off. She expected some students to try talking to her, or a few to flirt with her, or maybe even ask her to turn out the light so they could sleep.

She didn't expect a young man in nothing but boxers and an oversized red shirt with the Marker Academy logo on it to ask her if he could sit on the other side of the candles she set up. She wasn't particularly upset or cared for his lack of pants; there were plenty of guys in the ballroom with nothing BUT their boxers on, and at least he wore a shirt that covered his upper body, so he obviously wasn't trying to be a show off. In one of his hands was a small paperback book of some kind, though from her angle she could barely make out what it was. She looked up from her own book briefly, amber and emerald eyes locking for the briefest moment.

" _Is he going to try and flirt or something?"_ She thought, wondering why he wanted to sit there of all places. _"No, he would probably want to sit right next to me if that were the case. Does he just want to sit and read?"_

She replied un-committedly, "Sure, do whatever you want."

He frowned at the tone in her voice, but none-the-less nodded gratefully.

"I appreciate it, thanks."

He plopped down right next to the candle stand on the other side, scooting closer to it as he opened his book up and began to read. Blake noticed how he sat with his back half to her, half to the wall, in what looked like an attempt to catch as much reading light as possible. It also put his head fairly close to the candles themselves, the light brightening his crimson lockes like downward roaring flames. It was almost distracting, especially since having one's head or hair so close to the small wicks of fire would have either been uncomfortable or a risky position. She didn't bother to ask or warn him however, since the redhead seemed to relax a bit as the moments passed, the tension in his body suddenly flooding away as if disappearing under the light of the candles.

Blake was rarely ever nosy. There were times when she was tempted to put in her two cents, such as earlier in the day when she called out the crabby Schnee heiress on her family's sordid legacy, but usually she would just sit and observe. Her ruling on such a matter usually boiled down to 'don't bother others if you don't want to be bothered', which worked for the most part; it was a simple rule to live by, and even though there were the few exceptions who enjoyed invading her personal space, her reserved and uninterested air discouraged such overly friendly or infatuated individuals.

That didn't mean she wasn't curious.

Blake loved books. She adored them without hesitance or limitation. The beautiful language in written form, painting stories of vast worlds with diverse characters thrown into conflicts they're meant to overcome, enticed her more than the shows or movies populating television sets; her imagination could always paint the scene more vividly than any televised program could ever hope to achieve. So to see someone else her age who enjoyed literature in some form, especially in today's digital era, was a welcome and intriguing sight.

Especially when they decided not to bother her.

With a mental nod of approval, she returned her attention to her own piece of literature, eyes devouring every word as two souls struggled for control of the body they inhabited; all the while enjoying the comfortable light of the candles and the silent presence of the stranger on the other side.

On the other side of the candle stand, Lex was finally beginning to wind down after the panic attack from moments ago. Not only did he have his book to distract him, but someone had decided to set up a stand and some candles to provide their own reading light. It was a welcome change in the night's atmosphere. Though rare to see anyone use such an archaic and simple tool for a light source, he always found the soft, orange glow of the tiny flames to be more bearable to read with than the blinding LED lights of scrolls or modern flashlights. Plus, the warmth took in on the back of his head and neck gave off a wonderfully calming sensation.

Lex approved of the young woman's taste in lighting sources. However, he didn't really approve of her demeanor too much; he felt miffed at the casual way she expressed her apathy to him. The crimsonette understood that some people weren't very social; having a desire for privacy or distance from people was completely fine in the young man's book. He wasn't expecting to be showered in consideration or attention.

" _But she could have at least spoken with a more polite tone…"_ Brushing irritated thoughts away, the pants-less young man refocused on his book, not even allowing the grating voice of the Schnee heiress in the distance to be a distraction.

His mind easily delved into the written world, the day's grievances dissolving away to the echoing ring of steel on steel. It was the tale of a man unbound by fate, struggling against impossible odds to achieve a thankless goal while never surrendering his ideals to anyone; not even to himself…


End file.
